Firdous promises best treatment to quake-hit people

MIRPUR: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan said on Wednesday the nation stood united after the tragic earthquake and all should take part in relief and rehabilitation work for the victims of Tuesday earthquake.

Inquiring after health of injured in Mirpur Divisional hospital, she said if needed victims would be shifted to hospitals of other cities to ensure provision of best possible medical treatment. She said nation would support the victims above political divides as it was national issue. She shared that she came to Mirpur on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan which was a message that Pakistan always supported Kashmiris at any difficult time.

She said people of Pakistan and Kashmir, after 2005 earthquake, showed great character and rendered helping hand in relief and rehabilitation activities. Dr Firdous said Pakistan Army was in the forefront of rescue operation, whereas Azad Jammu and Kashmir government, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and civil society also played proactive role for serving people.

She said Managing Director, Pakistan Baitul Mall, Aun Abbas had also reached there and compensation would be paid to the families of the deceased and injured, adding, loss of property and livestock would also be compensated. Later on talking to the media persons along with Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Muhammad Afzal in Mirpur Firdous said she had met Azad Kashmir's Prime Minister to discuss strategy for payment of compensation to the affected. She said the government and the National Disaster Management Authority would fully support and facilitate the AJK Disaster Management Authority in relief and rehabilitation process. She said that about 450 houses had been destroyed in the earthquake which would be rebuilt. She said all stakeholders would join hands to end difficulties of the affected people.

She said that the relief goods reaching the areas would be distributed among the victims. To a question she said that the injured people would be provided all possible facilities and their houses would also be rebuilt. She assured that the divisional hospital of Mirpur will be provided with all the necessary equipment including the portable X-Ray to treat those wounded in the quake.