PM Imran briefed on earthquake losses, relief efforts on visit to Mirpur – Pakistan

Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Azad Jammu and the city of Mirpur of Kashmir (AJK) on Monday to express his solidarity with the victims of a recent earthquake that wreaked havoc in the region.

During a meeting with AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, Prime Minister Imran received information about the losses and rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures taken by AJK officials, Pak radio reported.

The meeting, chaired by the Pakistani Prime Minister, was also attended by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Kashmir Affairs Minister and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur and the president of the National Disaster Management Authority, the lieutenant General Mohammad Afzal.

He also visited the division headquarters hospital to ask about the health of some of the survivors who were treated there. During his visit, he expressed his "pain" for the losses caused by the earthquake.

"I was [on my trip to] United Nations when I heard about the earthquake and I was very sad, "said his official team as quoted." I wanted to visit him immediately, but my return from the United States was delayed.

"The people of Mirpur, who suffered […] losses, I have my biggest sympathies. I can feel your pain. "

He said the government was working on a package for the rehabilitation of victims. "Every possible step for the [assistance] of the earthquake victims will be taken immediately, "he said.

Strict security arrangements were made in the area before the visit of Prime Minister Imran.

According to Division Commissioner Chaudhry Tayyab, the number of people with serious and minor injuries was 172 and 680, respectively, in the Mirpur district. Of those seriously injured, 27 were still being treated at the Division Headquarters Hospital and three at the Combined Military Hospital, Mangla, while the rest had been discharged, he said.

The Mirpur district suffered the greatest damage from the magnitude 5.6 earthquake, which shook parts of the Punjab, as well as some of the northern areas of the country on September 24. About 40 people died, 38 of which belonged to the Mirpur district, Tayyab said.

At that time, the prime minister was in New York, where he had gone to attend the 74th annual session of the United Nations General Assembly. He returned to Islamabad on Sunday.

On Friday, he had announced compensation of Rs 500,000 for each person killed in the earthquake in AJK and Punjab.

Tayyab said the checks for the amount would be distributed among the dependents of the deceased on Monday, probably by AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, who had arrived in Mirpur to receive the prime minister.

However, no announcement has yet been made about compensation to the injured or those who had suffered property losses, either from the federal government or the AJK government.

In accordance with the Natural Calamities and People in Difficulties Act of AJK of 2011, the compensation for each deceased or injured person is Rs150,000 and Rs50,000, respectively. The compensation for the destroyed or damaged concrete house is Rs100,000 and for the katcha house Rs60,000.