He was up-dating national and international media at Prime Minister Secretariat about the aftermath of the calamity and relief operations being carried out by the government, humanitarian international community and national and international NGOs.
He said that the latest death toll was based on independent reports of Federal Interior Ministry and the governments of NWFP and Azad Kashmir. "Majority of the injured persons are suffering from head, backbone and other orthopaedic injuries who are being treated in field and other hospitals of the country," he added.
PRESIDENT'S RELIEF FUND: Giving details of the pledges made for President's Relief Fund up to November 2, 2005, he said that of the Rs 5.352 billion domestic pledges, Rs 5.150 billion had been deposited in the State Bank of Pakistan. The government has received foreign assistance pledges of $2.051 billion ($1.112 billion goods, services and medicine, grants and food aid $70 million, soft credit $747 million and (b) pledges against UN Flash appeal $122 million.
He said that the government would twice a week have strategic level interaction with the donors, humanitarian international community and other NGOs to streamline the relief efforts so that there should be no duplication and the relief and rehabilitation operations are institutionalised.
VILLAGES ACCESSED The Federal Relief Commissioner said that the Army, government and other relief teams have now reached almost all the 2775 affected villages in NWFP and Azad Kashmir and delivered necessary relief goods, except 41 villages in the far-flung and marooned hilly areas.
"In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, 1102 villages and in NWFP 1673 villages were hit by the calamity and it is the firm resolve and commitment of the government that with all resources every humanly possible effort would be made to provide every help and relief to the affected people till their full rehabilitation," he said.
He said that to-date 3,07,556 tents have been distributed among families rendered homeless in the earthquake area and the remaining 300,000 shelterless families would get winterised tent by November 30, while 3.9 million quilts/blankets, 8,96,860 tons rations, 3,839.896 tons medicines, and 9,532.966 tons miscellaneous goods have been provided by national and international humanitarian communities have been distributed among the needy population.
COMMUNICATION NETWORK The FRC said that the entire infrastructure and communication network was destroyed in the earthquake in this mountainous region. With the help of the international community, all fixed telephone lines in NWFP have been restored. Out of 20,294 telecommunication lines affected in AJK, 2,831 require further repairs. All affected exchanges in NWFP have been rendered functional while 20 out of 48 affected telephone exchanges in AJK require further restoration, he added.
ROAD CLEARANCE PROGRESS: General Farooq said that in the 72 km Neelum Valley, road has been cleared for traffic up to 6 km from Muzaffarabad, 33 km mule track from Muzaffarabad to Deolioan, 20 km mule track from Jura to Noseri constructed. In 43 km Leswa By Pass, 25.4 km has been cleared from Jura. In 54 km Jhelum Valley, 51.9 km cleared from Muzaffarabad to Hatian Bala. In Hazara division, 18.7 km from Balakot and 35.7 km from Kaghan side has been cleared. A patch of 6.4 km is to be cleared, mule track opened, he added.
GOVERNMENT'S PRIORITIES: He said that Federal Relief Commission's priorities are (a) one tent/one family (immediate), (b) one room transitional shelter with the help of army engineers and volunteers using retrievable material, and providing Rs 25,000 to each family, (c) tent villages below 5,000 ft height in mountainous areas, (d) creation of institutional set-up for camp management (d) rehabilitation and rebuilding (volunteers: civilian and army).
In order to provide best medical facilities to the injured, FRC requested the medical teams/field hospitals from foreign countries, when leaving, to donate their equipment for use by local community/medical teams. He added that two Medical Rehabilitation/Prosthetic Centres are required for AJK & NWFP; 2 Air Ambulances are needed for speedy evacuation of casualties, and four mobile operation theatres/hospitals are needed.
In telecommunication, 10 containerised self-sufficient satellite terminals along with 1 x hub at Muzzaffarabad with E1 connectivity are required for provision of immediate telecomm facilities at severely damaged sites in Neelum and Jhelum valleys.
MEDICINE/MEDICAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED: He said that medical teams urgently need Spinal (Tilting) Beds, 100; 3rd/4th Generation Cephalosporin Injections, 100,000 Portable Ventilators adult/paediatric, 30; Injection Pethidine, 10,000; Mobile Operation Theatre 20; Orthopaedic Operating Tables, 20; Portable Anaesthesia Machine, 20; Portable Operating Lights, 20; Orthopaedic Operating Sets and 50; DCP Sets (Bone Plates), 50.