Shortage of medicine, water in PoK after quake

Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is trying to raise the issue of alleged human rights violations in Kashmir in almost all international fora, has no time to look at the welfare of his own people suffering from the lack of medicines, food and other essential items in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that rocked Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) two days ago, according to Pakistani media reports.

One such report said: “PoK is still getting aftershocks leading to panic among the people. People are out on the streets. There is shortage of medicines. Even clean drinking water is not available here.”

However, the Special Assistance on National Health Services Zafar Mirza said that medicines and drinking water are now being made available to the quake-affected people in Mirpur in PoK, which is the worst hit. More than thirty lakh medicines and surgical equipment are being sent there, he added.

Thirty nine people died in the earthquake that struck PoK and several northeastern cities of Pakistan on Tuesday as authorities stepped up operations to save people trapped in the debris of toppled buildings. Several people have received serious injuries, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.

The NDMA also said that each family is being provided 21 kg of rations. Over 50,000 bottles of water and 200 tents have been distributed.

The work of repairing of roads damaged in the tremor has also bgun, the NDMA added.

 Published on: Sep 26, 2019 at 20:05 IST

IANS