Pakistan opens more border crossings to Afghan earthquake victims

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Pakistan has opened more border crossings to help provide medical aid to injured Afghan people hit by devastating earthquake, an official statement said.

Opening of more border crossings will allow injured Afghans to reach Pakistani hospitals sooner.

According to the statement released late Thursday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke with the interim Afghan government's acting Prime Minister Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund on Thursday evening and informed him about Pakistan's decision.

"Prime Minister conveyed that Ghulam Khan and Angoor Adda border crossing points have been opened for the transportation of the seriously injured Afghans for their treatment in the Pakistani hospitals," said in the statement.

Sharif also reassured his country's continued assistance in the coming days as well.

He also conveyed deep sympathies and condolences on behalf of his government and the Pakistani people on the loss of so many precious lives and material damage caused by the devastating earthquake in Afghanistan.

"Pakistan stood shoulder-to-shoulder with its Afghan brethren in this difficult hour," Sharif told the acting Afghan premier.

Pakistan was the first country to send emergency assistance to Afghanistan, including dispatch of emergency medicines, tents, tarpaulins, and blankets on Wednesday after the deadly quake.

So far, 1,150 people lost lives and over 1,600 wounded in the magnitude 6.1 quake which shook the country's eastern provinces on Tuesday night.

According to Taliban officials, over 2,500 houses have been completely destroyed and hundreds others partially damaged in the Paktika province.

Paktika and Khost are the most affected Afghan provinces where several villages were completely destroyed by the earthquake.