Islamabad, Jun 23 (PTI) A powerful earthquake in Afghanistan has also killed at least 30 Pakistani tribals, who were displaced during a military operation in 2014 and fled across the border to neighboring countries.
According to the news published in Pakistani media on Thursday, the Pakistani nationals who lost their lives in the earthquake belonged to the Madakhel tribe of North Waziristan.
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck a rural mountainous region in eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing more than a thousand people and injuring more than 1,500.
According to the news of ‘Dawn’ newspaper, the bodies of 30 tribal people of Pakistan will be transported to their native place, for which Pakistani authorities have temporarily opened the Pak-Afghan border in Alwar Mandi.
It has been told in the news that arrangements have also been made at Ghulam Khan border to take the injured. According to military sources present in Miranshah, the injured will be airlifted to special medical camps being set up in the area.
The news quoted officials as saying that apart from bringing the dead bodies and helping the injured, ration is also being provided to the earthquake-affected people.
According to the news, a check post in Datakhel in North Waziristan also collapsed due to the earthquake, killing one soldier and injuring at least two others. At the same time, a local football player has died after the roof of a house collapsed in Peju area of Lakki Marwat district.
According to Mohammad Ali Saif, spokesman for the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, beds have been reserved in hospitals in North and South Waziristan for the treatment of the injured.
It has also been reported in the news that under the special instructions of Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the authorities have sent relief material for the earthquake victims in Afghanistan.
Radio Pakistan reported that a consignment of tents, tarpaulins, blankets and essential medicines were sent to Kabul through eight trucks. The news said that Pakistan has assured to provide all possible help to Afghanistan.