RAWALPINDI: As the nation’s relief effort for the victims of Saturday’s [Dec 28] killer earthquake got into top gear today [Jan 1] the death toll rose to 5,100 as reports trickled in from remote areas. … Relief supplies being collected at Abbottabad, Bisham and Rawalpindi, were airlifted to Pattan by … Army helicopters which keep shuttling from dawn to dusk.

Work has started to clear the road blocks caused by landslides on the Karakoram High­way. People all over the country are donating in cash and kind for the victims… . The world community has also … reacted to Prime Min­ister Bhutto’s appeal for assistance. Messages of sympathy are also being received by the President and Prime Minister from Heads of State and Government of various countries. …

Helicopters shuttled between Rawalpindi and … Bisham … and between Bisham and Pattan … with relief goods including tents, blankets, medicines and foodstuffs. Military engineers have stepped up efforts to restore road communications between Bisham and Pattan. … The road repair work on the Karakorum Highway is in progress at top speed. … The traffic between Gilgit and Bisham is closed as the road is badly damaged. — News agencies

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2025