DHANI, Pakistan, 24 November 2005 — Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday announced a further 50 million Australian dollars (US$37 million) in aid for earthquake victims in Pakistan. Howard gave details of the extra relief as he visited Australian troops helping survivors in Dhani, a village near the devastated Pakistani Kashmir city of Muzaffarabad.
“I am pleased to announce that Australia will provide a further 50 million (Australian) dollars for victims of the calamitous Oct. 8 earthquake in Pakistan, to provide relief for the winter and for reconstruction in the longer term,” Howard told reporters.
Australia has already donated US$10.4 million for quake aid. Howard said 10 million Australian dollars of the new funds would go toward emergency relief and would be delivered through the Australian Agency for International Development as well as by United Nations aid agencies.
The remaining 40 million Australian dollars would go toward reconstruction. Australia had also deployed a military medical team to treat survivors at an additional cost of up to 20 million Australian dollars, Howard said.
“In Australia’s fresh assistance which I am announcing today, we will be coordinating with the other donors to ensure it addresses the needs of those most affected by the earthquake,” the Australian premier added.
International donors pledged more than $5.8 billion for relief and reconstruction at a conference in Islamabad. “I warmly welcome the outcome of the international donors’ conference in Islamabad,” Howard said.
US Navy Engineers Adopt Village
United States Navy engineers have adopted a village in the Kashmir region under Pakistani government’s “adopt a village program” aimed at reconstructing areas ravaged by the Oct. 8 earthquake, a US official yesterday said. “Known as SEABEES, the engineers adopted the Miani Bandi village on Tuesday to participate in its reconstruction,” spokesman for the US military public affairs office in Pakistan Commander Nick Balice told DPA.
