Relief goods were being dispatched to the earthquake-hit areas and, in this regard, the Punjab government with the co-operation of private sector, has sent 210 more trucks carrying medicines, eatables, blankets and tents to the quake-affected areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.

Punjab Revenue and Relief Minister Gul Hamid Khan Rokhari stated this while presiding over a meeting here on Monday, disclosed an official. Director General Relief Irfan Ilahi, DCO Lahore Khalid Sultan and officers of concerned departments also attended the meeting. Punjab Communication & Works Minister Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-din also attended the meeting.

Giving details of the meeting, Irfan Ilahi said that 99 trucks carrying eatables, 40 of tents, 66 of blankets and five of medicines have been sent to quake-hit areas. He further said that the Relief Department has released Rs 3 million to Auqaf Department for providing cooked food to the affectees and six teams of cook have also been deputed at Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Garhi Dupatta, Balakot and Garhi Habibullah.

Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din told the meeting that the Muslim League Punjab has sent 60 trucks carrying relief goods worth Rs 100 million to the affected areas besides a tent city has been set up at Langarpura.

Meanwhile, PML President Sargodha Mian Muhammad Anwar Khurshid and former President Sargodha Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mian Irshad Ahmad Arshad met the Punjab Chief Minister and donated a cheque of Rs 500,000 for the President's Relief Fund for earthquake affectees.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005