A mobile field hospital along with a team of doctors comprising orthopaedic surgeons and paramedic from Pakistan is due here on Tuesday to provide medical assistance to the affected people of May 12 devastating earthquake, said Pakistan's Charge d'Affairs Abdul Salik Khan here on Monday.
Twenty-eight doctors and paramedical staff will reach Lanzhou on May 27 to participate in the relief efforts, Salik Khan said at a media briefing here, which was also addressed by Taranum Salman Bashir, wife of former Pakistan Ambassador to China and now Pakistan's Foreign Secretary.
He pointed out that Pakistan was among the few countries whose offer of medical assistance had been accepted by the Chinese government for which we were very much thankful.
Apart from Pakistan's efforts to contribute towards the relief assistance in terms of goods and monetary help, the Embassy of Pakistan was also organising a Fundraiser Bazaar for the victims of Sichuan Earthquake on Saturday at the Embassy premises, he said. Salik Khan also gave details of the relief goods and monetary assistance the government and people of Pakistan have so far provided.
He said on the instructions of the government and particularly from Salman Bashir, who had special attachment with China, the Embassy here was holding a series of activities for relief assistance to mitigate the sufferings of Chinese people.
Speaking on the occasion, Taranum Bashir said the people and government of Pakistan were fully behind the people of Sichuan who were enduring great difficulties following May 12 devastating earthquake. "The Pakistani people standby with the Chinese people in this difficult time and ready to provide all kinds of assistance," she said.
She highly appreciated efforts of Chinese leadership in effectively handling the situation after the earthquake. "We are sure that the great Chinese nation will overcome this situation", she said.
She pointed out that President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani visited Chinese Embassy in Islamabad to express their concern over the death and damage caused to the people of Sichuan which was also the sister of our Punjab Province.
She said Pakistan was also sharing its experience of handling the 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir and NWFP with the Chinese side, adding that Pakistan Earthquake and Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) would extend all possible assistance to the Chinese relief and reconstruction activities.