Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri directs MWF to immediately start rescue operations in affected areas

PAT Chairman Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri has expressed his deep sense of grief and sorrow on the loss of precious lives and destruction of infrastructure in massive earthquake that struck Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan on Monday afternoon. He directed the PAT and MQI chapters to take part in rescue and relief activities. He said that information regarding earthquake hit areas and scale of destruction should be sought from the KPK government and relief activities should be initiated without any delay.

Dr Hassan Mohi-ud-Din Qadri, Chairman of MQI Supreme Council, also expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the loss in man and material as a result of earthquake today. He postponed the scheduled meeting of the PAT Core Committee as the news of large scale destruction came in from different parts of the country. He immediately directed Minhaj Welfare Foundation to make arrangements for rescue and relief activities of the earthquake affected people. He said that hardly had the losses caused by earthquake of 2005 been compensated for that the people stand exposed to another natural catastrophe.

PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur telephoned KPK Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and expressed deep sense of grief and sorrow on the losses caused by the earthquake. The members of PAT Core Committee namely Major (r ) Muhammad Saeed, Amir Farid Koreja, Hanif Mustafavi, Qazi Faiz ul Islam, SM Zamir, Ahmad Nawaz Anjum, Basharat Jaspal, Brig. (r ) Muhammad Mushtaq, Sajid Bhatti, Noorullah Siddiqui and Tanvir Ahmad Khan also expressed their sorrow on the deaths of people in the earthquake. They sympathized with the bereaved families and prayed to Allah Almighty to rest the departed souls in peace. They said that the people of other provinces stand in solidarity with the people of KPK in this hour of immense grief.

The members of the Core Committee expressed their satisfaction over the immediate launch of rescue and relief operations by the Pakistan Army. They prayed for speedy recovery of the injured. It was also decided that a delegation of the PAT leaders will visit the affected districts of KPK.