"The government has stepped up relief operations bringing into use all national and international resources available. "
"We have to expedite efforts from all around as we are racing against time to shield the victims from cold weather in the mountainous region," he said as a UN Conference sought more international financial assistance for the country in dealing with large-scale devastation.
Speaking to a delegation of International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCRCS), the President said the country is exploring all avenues to procure direly-needed tents to provide shelter to millions of people rendered homeless by October 8 catastrophic earthquake, just before the start of the harsh Himalayan winter.
"We are receiving international supplies and also endeavouring to produce tents in large numbers locally to redress the sufferings of the affected people," he said.
He appreciated the rapid international relief assistance extended to the country in the wake of the worst natural disaster in Pakistan's history that has claimed more than 54,000 lives and destroyed infrastructure over a large mountainous area.
President Musharraf thanked the President of the Federation, Juan Manuel Suarez Del for helping Pakistan in the difficult hour. Suarez Del informed the President that the Federation has called an international conference of related organisations to raise at least US dollars 100 million in aid for Pakistan.
On Tuesday the IFRCRCS had issued a written appeal to concerned organisations to respond immediately to the need. The Federation is to provide relief assistance to 150,000 families up to the rehabilitation stage.
The International Federation has set up a 250-bed field hospital in Mansehra and has two medical units in Balakot and Allai areas of North Western Frontier Province.
It is also providing medical services in Muzaffarabad, the hard-hit capital of Azad Kashmir.
Simon Missiri, Head of the Federation's missions in Asia-Pacific Region and Lieutenant General Jehandad Khan (Retd), Chairman Pakistan Red Crescent Society, also attended the meeting.
Pakistan Red Crescent Society in co-operation with the IFRCRCS has dispatched 350 truckloads of relief assistance to the quake-wrecked region, containing 900 tents and 40,000 blankets.
Besides, the PRCS has lined up 300 tonnes of relief supplies for ferrying to the places in want of assistance. Jehandad Khan informed the President that the Society in co-ordination with its provincial chapters has raised Rs 40 million in financial assistance for the earthquake victims. Currently, PRCS is focussing on relief assistance for the affected people in Chakhoti sector of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.