International Response To The 2005 Kashmir Earthquake - Asia

Asia

• Afghanistan - The Afghan government sent four rescue helicopters from its nascent air force, as well as a fixed-wing plane loaded with four tons of medicine and army medical personnel, to help with disaster relief in the hardest-hit areas of Kashmir. The country also pledged USD 500,000 in aid. The Afghan Red Crescent Society has also announced that it will donate 20 tons of dried food and send teams of medical personnel.

• Cambodia – The Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has pledged USD 60,000 dollars in assistance.

• People's Republic of China - The government of the People's Republic of China, offered emergency aid worth USD 6.2 million (PKR 370.14 M) to help earthquake victims in Pakistan. A 49-member international rescue team and the first batch of rescue materials were sent to Pakistan on October 9, 2005. USD 1 million in cash was sent out on October 10, 2005. A rescue team with sniffer dogs is now up and running.

• Hong Kong - The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, has approved a grant of HK$ 3.5 million from the Disaster Relief Fund to World Vision Hong Kong to undertake relief projects. The Government has procured and is arranging to air-freight 20 tons of relief supply, including tents and blankets, to Pakistan.

• India - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offers quake assistance to Pakistan. Indian and Pakistani High Commissioners are in touch regarding cooperation in relief work. India has sent 25 tonnes of relief material to Pakistan including food, blankets and medicine. Big Indian companies such as Infosys have offered aid up to $226,000. On October 12, an Ilyushin-76 cargo plane ferried across seven truckloads (about 82 tons) of army medicines, 15,000 blankets and 50 tents and returned to New Delhi. A senior airforce official also stated that they had been asked by the Indian government to be ready to fly out another similar consignment. On October 14, India dispatched the second consignment to relief material to Pakistan, by train through the Wagah Border. The consignment includes 5,000 blankets, 370 tents, 5 tons of plastic sheets and 12 tons of medicine. The third consignment is of medicine and relief material is being readied and will be sent shortly, also by train. India also pledged $25 million as aid to Pakistan.

India opened the first of three points at Chakan Da Bagh, in Poonch, on the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan for the 2005 Kashmir earthquake relief work. (Rediff)

• Indonesia - Indonesia is sending a C-130 Hercules aircraft with a medical team, medicine and various emergency materials to Pakistan. The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) is also ready to send humanitarian relief and a special team.

• Iran - Iran has dispatched foodstuff, blankets, tents and medicine through two aircraft.

• Israel - Israel offered aid to Pakistan and India immediately following the earthquake; Pakistan has recently accepted this aid on the condition that the aid be channeled through a third-party organization such as the United Nations. The nature of the aid has not yet been determined.

• Jordan – Prince Rashid bin Al Hassan, chief of the Jordanian Relief Agencies arrived in Pakistan on October 11, bringing with him a 50-bed mobile hospital to be deployed in Rawalakot.

• Japan - Japan is providing experts and equipment for rescue operations. On October 11, Japan pledged a further USD 20 million dollars and stated that it was ready to dispatch dozens of troops and several transport helicopters to aid relief efforts. A statement by the Japanese Defense Ministry clarified on October 12, that they would be sending approximately 290 troops and three helicopters to help with the relief work in Pakistan.

• Kuwait - The Kuwaiti government announced a USD 100 million in aid to Pakistan. Half of the aid package will be offered in the form of relief assistance, while the other half (approximately USD 51 million) will be used to repair damaged infrastructure.

• Malaysia - Malaysia has dispatched a search-and-rescue team to quake-ravaged Pakistan and USD 1 million (MYR 3.8 million) to its government. The Malaysian team comprises 50 men from various agencies and non-governmental organisations, including the National Security Division, Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART), Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysian Red Crescent Society and Mercy Malaysia.

• Nepal – Nepal has offered USD 50,000 dollars in relief to Pakistan.

• Pakistan - In late 2006, a staggering $20 billion development scheme was mooted by Pakistan for reconstruction and rehabilitation of the earthquake hit zones in Azad Kashmir. A land use plan for Muzaffarabad city had been prepared by Japan International Cooperation Agency.

• Qatar - A spokesman for the Qatari foreign ministry said that the country was also willing to give humanitarian assistance to Pakistan.

• Saudi Arabia - Saudi King Abdullah has announced an emergency aid package worth 133 million dollars for Pakistan. As of Oct 15, 2005 this is the largest single donation by any country for Kashmir Earthquake 2005. Earlier, Saudi King Abdullah ordered the rapid establishment of an airlift of doctors, medicine, tents and emergency supplies to the affected region.
  Saudi Arabia is one of the largest contributors to the earthquake relief efforts. The Saudi public has also made a big contribution to helping victims of the earthquake, on the call of Saudi government. The Saudi government went one step further by institutionalizing this assistance in the form of Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake victims (SPAPEV).

• Singapore - (Main article: Singaporean response to 2005 Kashmir earthquake). Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, on behalf of the people of Singapore, expressed his deepest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims. The Singapore Civil Defence Force was preparing to dispatch a 44-member Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team to help Pakistan's relief and rescue operations. Another two medical relief teams were also sent.

• South Korea - The South Korean government sent USD 500,000 dollars along with blankets, relief food and medical supplies to Pakistan as part of their initial response. A further USD 3 million in aid was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on October 10.

• Turkey - Turkey is sending 30 aircraft carrying medical teams to Pakistan. Furthermore, on October 20 Turkey announced a relief package of USD $150 million; financial assistance of $100 million and relief goods worth $50 million including 1 million blankets, 50,000 tonnes of flour and 25,000 tonnes of sugar. The Turkish Red Crescent sent 90 health personnel to Pakistan, built tent cities and hospitals. The Turkish Red Crescent has also started building a new tent city that will provide shelter for 70,000 people.

• United Arab Emirates - The total monetary commitment so far is USD 100 million. United Arab Emirates President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has ordered the immediate dispatch of humanitarian aid to the region and rescue teams. The Dubai police have also begun to leave for Pakistan.