DUBAI // Aid teams from Dubai could be in earthquake hit areas in Pakistan and Afghanistan by next week, according to community groups in the emirate, while officials say they are watching the situation.
Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development, and head of the UAE Committee for the Coordination of Humanitarian Foreign Aid, said “our hearts and thoughts are with the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan”.
“The Ministry and UAE donor organizations, which are members of the UAE Committee for the Coordination of Humanitarian Foreign Aid, are closely monitoring the situation in coordination with their counterparts in both countries,” said Sheikha Lubna.
Local organisations say they are waiting to find out the extent of destruction.
Initial reports from authorities in the countries say at least 300 people have died and more than 2,000 were injured in the 7.5 magnitude quake on Monday.
The natural disaster struck in the remote rural border area between the two countries, making it difficult to assess the full scale of the damage.
“At the moment we’re waiting for more updates from the Pakistan government on how much damage the earthquake has caused and what type of aid if any is required,” said Faisel Ikram, general secretary of the Pakistan Association Dubai.
“As soon as we get the go ahead from the Pakistani government we could have a support team in the country in about a week.”
The epicentre of the earthquake was in the mountainous Hindu Kush area in Afghanistan’s northern province Badakhshan, which borders Pakistan and Tajikistan.
“We have sent teams out to natural disasters before and we will be working with the Emirates Red Crescent and the National Disaster Management Authority in Pakistan,” said Mr Ikram.
“Some Pakistanis living here may also be making their own way to the region to help or find family members but until we know more it is difficult to say what type of help is needed.
“The area isn’t highly populated so the main issue would probably providing shelter for those who have lost their homes.”
An appeal for aid will be made based on the requirements from the Pakistan government.
“As yet they have not said they need international aid but if they do then obviously we will be launching an appeal for the required items and also volunteers who can help deliver them,” said Mr Ikram.
“We may require more than one team to go to different areas like we did following the floods in Kashmir a few years ago.”
Mobisher Rabbani, a diplomatic consultant and philanthropist in Dubai, has been involved with various aid trips to his homeland in recent years.
“At the moment it’s a case of waiting to see the scale of the disaster before deciding on the next move forward,” he said.
The earthquake was so powerful that the effects were felt as far as Islamabad and India.
“It’s not uncommon for earthquakes to happen and you can feel minor ones in places like Islamabad,” he said.
“But what made this so unsettling for people was the duration the tremors lasted.
“Normally they last for five to 10 seconds but I spoke to friends who said it continued for about half a minute.”
Pakistan’s cricket team is currently in the UAE playing a test series against England and have pledged their support for those affected by the natural disaster.
Misbah-ul-Haq, the Pakistan captain, said the team were shocked by the news of the earthquake and sent their condolences to the families of those affected.
“The news pushed our win against England to one side,” he said in Dubai, “every player was shocked and wants to contribute towards the relief work.”
Intikab Alam, Pakistan’s tour manager said players were determined to help once they returned home.
“Our hearts are with the suffering families and players intend to do relief work once they return home,” he said.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) the earthquake’s centre was 200km underground and located around 76km south of Faizabad in Badakhshan province.
Spokespeople from the Afghan Embassy in the UAE capital were not available for comment.
For more details about volunteering for the Pakistan Association Dubai contact 04 3373632.
nhanif@thenational.ae
