Pakistan is importing huge quantity of tents from China to meet immediate needs of accommodating the quake victims. Special arrangements have been made to airlift these tents to Pakistan by nine-chartered cargo planes from Beijing and Shanghai. Chinese manufacturers offer tents on relatively lesser price on humanitarian grounds.

With the fast approaching of severe winter in the affected areas the government of Pakistan had mobilised all available resources to provide temporary shelter to thousands of homeless people on urgent basis, said an official of Pakistan Embassy.

"Pakistan is thankful to the Chinese government and its people for the donations they have already made in form of tents, blankets and medicines," he added.

A spokesman of the Chine foreign Ministry said China was actively considering to take part in rehabilitation and reconstruction process in the disaster-hit areas.

Talking to APP, he said the Chinese government and the people would extend all possible co-operation to their Pakistani friends to overcome the difficulties, caused by the devastating earthquake.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2005