ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a high-level emergency meeting in Islamabad today (Tuesday) to discuss a comprehensive plan to tackle the situation after Monday s powerful earthquake that rattled upper parts of the country.
Federal ministers, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif are attending the meeting.According to Radio Pakistan, Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Asghar Nawaz briefed the participants of the meeting on the loss of lives and the damage to infrastructure caused by the disaster.
He is also briefed on the relief and rescue measures taken by the national and provincial authorities.
On the occasion, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif apprised the meeting about the measures taken by Pakistan Army in the quake-hit areas.
He mentioned that troops had been mobilized for carrying out rescue operation in the earthquake-affected areas while all the Combined Military Hospitals have been put on high alert.
“The state resources will be fully utilised and provided to assist the provincial governments in rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the affected people,” Sharif told the meeting.He said that the government would announce a relief package for the affected people of the earthquake after comprehensive assessment reports by the concerned authorities.He added that the federal government will provide all possible assistance and support to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and the tribal regions, the most affected by the earthquake.”The government is capable enough to rescue and rehabilitate those affected by the earthquake and every effort will be made to help the fellow citizens in distress,” he said.
Earlier, the Prime Minister cut short his London visit and immediately Pakistan a day after more than two hundred people were killed and scores got injured in a massive earthquake in the country.In his statement before his departure, the Prime Minister thanked his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi for offering help, however, he said that Pakistan will deal with the situation through its own resources.The federal government has also sent an MI-17 helicopter to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for relief efforts.Agencies