ICRC seeks $7.8 mn for Pakistan`s earthquake-hit people: Mathaba

The International Committee of the Red Cross `ICRC` Sunday launched an appeal of 7.8 million dollars for the affected people of Pakistan`s southwest.

Officials say that death toll from the October 29th earthquake has crossed the figure in Balochistan.But the ICRC in an appeal through internet said that at least 200 people were killed in the earthquake.Over 70,000 people, including 30,000 children, were left homeless by a quake that measured 6.4 on the Richter scale.It said that 20 to 30 thousands people have been affected and some 4000 mud houses destroyed in Ziarat district, some 60 kilometers from Quetta, the provincial capital.The ICRC said that its priority is to provide tents to the affected people as winter has already approached and the people are living outside houses due to fear of aftershocks.

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Saudi Arabia commits $100 million for quake victims: Business Recorder

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD (November 01 2008): Saudi Finance Minister Dr Ibrahim Al-Assaf on Friday committed immediate transfer of $100 million relief and rehabilitation support for earthquake victims of Balochistan. Dr Ibrahim further said that Saudi government would be providing a package of health and relief support along with the financial assistance already committed.During a meeting with advisor to the prime minister on finance and economic affairs, Shaukat Tarin, Al-Assaf expressed sympathy over the loss of precious lives and property during the earthquake, which devastated many areas of Balochistan.

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Belgium swaps Euro 30 million as assistance for quake-hit areas: APP

ISTANBUL, Oct 31 (APP): Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday expressed gratitude to Belgium for swapping its debt of Euro 30 million as assistance for reconstruction of 2005 earthquake hit areas. In his meeting with the Belgian Foreign Minister, the Prime Minister underscored the importance that Pakistan attached to its relations with Belgium. The Belgian Foreign Minister condoled the loss of lives and property in Balochistan earthquake. He informed the Prime Minister that Belgium was planning to send the relief assistance for earthquake affectees.

Both the leaders agreed to convene the meeting of Pak-Belgium Joint Commission in the coming months to reinvigorate their cooperation in the area of trade, investment, education, IT and scientific fields.

On the request of the Prime Minister for Belgium support to Pakistan’s case for inclusion in the GSP plus scheme and initiation of FTA talks with the EU, the Belgian Foreign Minister stated that his government would give these matters sympathetic consideration.

The Belgian Foreign Minister requested briefing from the Prime Minister on Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign, on chances of success of US and NATO military campaign to root out extremists from Afghanistan and Pakistan’s assessment of the overall situation in the region.

The Prime Minister highlighted the fact that all the allied forces must strive to win hearts and minds of the people rather than relying exclusively on the military means to win against extremists and militants in Afghanistan.

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Pakistan's Economy:Treacherous ground: Economist

Oct 30th 2008 | DELHI

From The Economist print edition

An earthquake adds to Pakistan’s woes

ON TOP of a bloody insurgency and a listing economy, Pakistan must now contend with a natural calamity. Before dawn on October 29th, an earthquake of magnitude 6.4 or greater struck the mountainous province of Baluchistan not far from its capital, Quetta. The death toll quickly exceeded 200.

It was the biggest earthquake since one in October 2005 that killed over 70,000 in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. After that catastrophe, America spent almost $1 billion on relief operations, ferrying supplies to mountain villages by Chinook helicopter. According to one American official, cited by an independent working group on Pakistan policy, the goodwill America earned represents “the most successful strategic confrontation to date in the battle with the terrorists in South Asia.”

Even before the latest earthquake, Pakistan was again hoping its strategic position would persuade the world to rush to its aid. The ground is giving way beneath its economy. A distracted, overstretched government has allowed inflation to soar (see chart), the rupee to plummet and foreign-exchange reserves to seep away. On October 17th the central bank’s stash of hard currency was just over $4 billion, enough to cover just four to five weeks of imports.

Pakistan hoped for an infusion of cash from the “Friends of Pakistan”, an informal circle including China, America and Saudi Arabia. But to its dismay, only the IMF appears ready to offer the sums it needs as quickly as it needs them. The IMF is expected soon to approve a loan of up to $12 billion, probably spread over two years.

Pakistan and the IMF may not be “friends”; but nor are they strangers. Some of the politicians and civil servants now in power were “pretty traumatised” by the IMF programmes they endured during the 1990s, says Mohsin Khan of the fund. In those days, the IMF twisted their arms to make tough fiscal commitments they could not keep. In 2005 the military regime, having proudly turned down the last two instalments of its loan, declared that it had “broken the begging bowl forever”.

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Pakistan: SPAPEV completes 4000 pre-fabricated houses at Balakot; more projects to be started in quake-hit areas: ReliefWeb

Islamabad, July 7th, 2008: Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan earthquake Victims, a Saudi relief organization has completed 4000 houses worth 18.5 million US dollar to resettle the Balakot quake affectees.

Addressing a ceremony which organized to celebrate the completion of housing project, held here on Monday, Dr. Khalid M. Al-Othmani, the Regional Director, Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims, said that the houses have been handed over to families of Balakot displaced due to South Asian earthquake.

Besides others, Secretary General Engineer Fahad Al-Mubarak arrived here specially to hand over this huge project. Dr. Khalid M. Al- Othmani, the Regional Director of SPAPEV, thanked the chief guest of the event, H.E Owais Ahmed Ghani, the Governor of NWFP, Excellency, Ali Awadh Asseri, the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan and all the dignitaries for honoring us by their presence.

He told media that the October 8, 2005 earthquake not only played havoc, but also destroyed the infrastructure of many parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and North Frontier Province of Pakistan. At the time of natural calamity, the International welfare Organizations, government agencies, Pakistan Army, and several other NGOs without wasting time, rushed to the site of quake-ravaged areas and started rescue, and relief, operation on emergency basis.

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