Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting at the PM House on the damages and measures taken after the earthquake and also visited Shangla to meet those affected by the natural disaster.
The meeting at the PM House was also attended by Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif.
The prime minister said that the government is capable of rescuing and rehabilitating those affected by the earthquake and every effort will be made to help the fellow citizens in distress. The prime minister said that the state resources will be fully utilised and provided to assist the provincial governments in rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the affected people.
Later, the prime minister visited Shangla to meet earthquake affectees and review relief efforts.
During a briefing following his arrival, the PM was informed that at least 49 people lost their lives in Shangla during the quake.
He was also told that over 200 relief and rescue workers are participating in efforts in Shangla, adding that tents are being provided to the affectees.
During the briefing, the prime minister was further told that all blocked roads to the area were opened last night, however, settlements are spread all over Shangla which is causing difficulty in relief efforts.
Following the briefing, PM Nawaz said that calculations to overcome losses of properties and belongings of the affectees should be done on an immediate basis.
He also announced compensation of Rs.100,000 for affectees whose homes have been completely destroyed, while Rs.50,000 for those who suffered minimal losses.
Earlier at the PM House, Sharif said that the federal government would provide all possible assistance and support to the adversely affected province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and FATA. He said that the government would announce a relief package for the affectees of the earthquake after comprehensive assessment reports by the concerned authorities.
The prime minister applauded the efforts and quick responses by Pakistan Army, National Highways Authority, National Disaster Management Authority and Provincial Disaster Management Authorities in the aftermath of the natural calamity.
The prime minister was briefed by chairman NDMA and DG MO on the damages caused by the earthquake. The prime minister was told that NHA has cleared all the vital roads and is effectively working to clear the remaining roads. SUPARCO is providing pre and post imagery of the earthquake affected areas to the concerned authorities for carrying out rescue work. NDMA has deputed six search and rescue teams so far.
The prime minister was briefed that telecommunication networks and vital installations of WAPDA remained unaffected. The prime minister was briefed that 228 precious lives were lost while 620 people were injured and 3,320 houses were damaged by the earthquake.
Earlier, on the special directions of the prime minister, 2,000 tents were sent to the quake hit areas and one MI-17 helicopter was also handed over to KP government for relief activities.
According to PM’s spokesperson, Nawaz Sharif kidney hospital Swat has been made functional immediately and a mobile hospital consisting of 9 beds with a surgeons’ team was also dispatched for Dir and all warehouses of NDMA were opened for provincial disaster authorities.
