Pakistan president in plea for aid - more than 20.000 dead
President General Pervez Musharraf has appealed to the international community to assist Pakistan with quake relief, the country's state-run news agency reported. Associated Press of Pakistan quoted Musharraf as saying Pakistan needed medicine, tents, cargo helicopters and financial assistance to help survivors of the 7.6-magnitude quake that devastated parts of Pakistan and India, killing thousands."We do seek international assistance. We have enough manpower, but we need financial support," Musharraf said. He said supplies were needed "to reach out to the people in far-flung and cut-off areas". Musharraf spoke in Rawalpindi, a city near the capital, Islamabad, before leaving on a tour of quake-devastated areas.European countries have responded swiftly to the massive earthquake that hit Pakistan, Azad Kashmir, Indian held Kashmir and Afghanistan on Saturday, offering aid and funds as well as condolences.
As casualty figures rose from the devastating quake the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, said up to three million euros could be approved within the day if requested by agencies working on the ground.“We are all hoping that the news does not get worse as the day progresses, but we are fearful that the casualty figures may mount and that international support may be needed,” said EU aid commissioner Louis Michel. A spokesman said that the commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) was in touch with two organisations - Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) Netherlands and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - about the crisis. “It depends on what these organizations tell us they need,” said the spokesman, Amadeu Altafaj, stressing that the two organisations were chosen because they are already present in the area. “They can save more lives and faster,” he said.
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