Summary Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif announced compensation for quake affected people today.
PESHAWAR (Web Desk / AFP) – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced Rs 600,000 compensation for heirs of each earthquake victim today (Wednesday).
Addressing the media after reviewing relief activities in quake-hit areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa today (Tuesday), the Prime Minister stated the Federal Government will extend full support to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in quake relief activities.
He said the compensation package has been prepared in consultation with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government whereas both the federal and provincial governments will share cost of the package.
Under the package, Rs 600,000 will be given to the family of each deceased and Rs 100,000 to each injured person. Similarly, Rs 200,000 will be given to the one who lost his limb or any other body part in the disaster.
The Prime Minister said that Rs 200,000 would also be given for the construction of completely damaged houses while Rs 100,000 each for the partially damaged houses.
He said the process of payment of compensation will start from Monday.
Nawaz Sharif lauded the national and provincial disaster management authorities, KPK government and Pak Army for immediately carrying out smooth relief operation.
He also directed that transparency should be ensured during distribution of compensation to the affected persons.
At the moment, confirmed death toll across Pakistan stands at 255 with nearly 1,700 people injured, and authorities warn that the number could spike with many isolated regions still cut off.
People were reported to be running out of food in many remote areas, with children and the elderly helping to dig through piles of rubble for survivors as they waited for aid to arrive.
The military has been leading rescue efforts, sending in medical teams, tents and rations and evacuating some people by helicopter.
The quake on Monday was centred near Jurm in northeast Afghanistan, 250 kilometres (160 miles) from the capital Kabul and at a depth of 213.5 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.
Afghanistan is frequently hit by earthquakes, as it lies near the junction of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. Monday s quake came six months after a huge earthquake in Nepal and an aftershock killed almost 9,000 people.
