Relief operators on Monday made another passionate call to the international community to release immediately the amounts pledged at November 19 donors' conference.
They said a lot of money and resources were needed at the start of winter to save the earthquake survivors from the bone-freezing chill.
"Winter is engulfing the area like a bloodthirsty nightmare, shrouding in it another death wave in the aftermath of the tragedy...People will die of cold if the international community delays donations it has pledged," said UK-based charity Islamic Relief operating in disaster-hit areas.
At a news conference here, 'Islamic Relief' President Dr Hany El Banna said that survivors could not be kept in tents (90 percent tents are not winterised) following the snowfall in most of the affected areas and they would have to be provided GI sheets shelters immediately. But, he added, a severe shortage of funds was hindering the relief operations and any delay from now onwards could cause further heavy damage.
"The time is running out, both for the survivors and their relief providers. From now onwards every moment counts...we will have to avoid any further delay if we are to save them," Banna said.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has said it is in immediate need of $70 million to make sure uninterrupted supply of foodstuffs to the millions of survivors.
Dr Hany stressed need for uniting rehabilitation efforts for producing better results.
The Islamic Relief would be hosting the event, the release added.
Dr Banna said many Muslim charities were either being dubbed as terrorist outfits or they were linked with terrorist net works by the Bush administration after 9/11 and it was creating hindrance in their working.
"This is what," he said. "We are organising the conference to discuss for and I hope we will find some way out."