The Federal Relief Commissioner Major General Farooq Ahmed Khan on Friday asked the international community to generously contribute towards the rescue and rehabilitation operation for the earthquake affectees in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and NWFP before the weather turned bad.
Briefing newsmen about relief work so far carried out in the quake-hit areas, he said that the international community has so far pledged about $2.469 billion, whereas Pakistan has actually received only $211.2 million.
He said that locally an amount of Rs 5.767 billion has been pledged, out of which Rs 5.4 billion has been deposited in the banks.
He said that the government had distributed about Rs 1.7 billion among the affected people.
Giving update on casualties, he said that at least 73,318 people were killed (29,360 in NWFP, 43,405 in AJK, 74 in ICT, 21 in Punjab and two in NA, and 456 military men also died).
According to him, more than 69,392 people were seriously injured (766 military men, 27,372 in NWFP, 31,080 in AJK, 89 in ICT and 83 in Punjab and two in NA). Besides, more than 58,896 were having minor injuries.
About relief work so far carried out he said, "There is no physical presence of Israelis in the relief operation and they have not been invited for the purpose. Israel has also been not invited to participate in the multi-donor conference scheduled for November 19, in which about 70 countries have been invited."
About rescue work, the Commissioner said that five main roads in AJK and three in NWFP had been cleared. Field hospitals and medical teams of friendly countries along with Pakistani counterparts were working round the clock in these areas.
He said that water and electricity supply has been restored in most of the affected areas. About 2995.57 tons medicines, 348,581 tents, 47047.1 tons rations and 3,209,629 blankets have been provided to the people in the affected areas.
He said that in AJK, 42 tent districts and 20 tent schools and in NWFP, 29 tent districts and 9 tent schools have been established.