Call to dispatch relief goods to Indonesian quake victims

PESHAWAR: Expressing grief over the loss of precious lives in the earthquake in Indonesia, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) head Aftab Sherpao on Tuesday asked the federal government to dispatch relief goods for the earthquake-hit people.

In a statement, he said that the 7.5 magnitude earthquake coupled with tsunami played havoc with the lives and properties of the Indonesians, leaving hundreds of people dead and injured. Aftab Sherpao asked the government to send medical teams and relief items to Indonesia to mitigate the sufferings of the affectees.

He said the QWP leadership and its workers were deeply saddened by the loss of precious lives in the earthquake. Sherpao said that Pakistan had brotherly relations with Indonesia so the government must provide relief to the earthquake-stricken people. “Pakistanis share the grief of the Indonesians at this critical juncture,” he maintained.

Criticising the government for its inaction, he said the federal government should help the people of Indonesia in this hour of the trial. He said the affectees needed clean drinking water, tents, medicines and food.

Aftab Sherpao said the federal government had offered to provide humanitarian assistance to India when the Kerala state was hit by devastating floods recently but no such offer was made to the Muslim country. Quoting media reports, he said the quake-hit people were running short of food and clean drinking water.