Islamabad 09th August 2010: Pakistan is facing a much bigger challenge due to natural calamity but Pakistani nation has in past demonstrated the ability to defeat disasters, and we are sure that Pakistan nation will pass through this testing time as it did before”, said Lt Gen Muhammad Haroon Aslam after the tree plantation ceremony at ERRA Head Quarters Islamabad today.

Terming the tree plantation ceremony as symbolic, Gen Haroon said ERRA was committed to stand by affectees and after dispatching 4 truck loads of relief items few days ago ERRA today dispatched three more trucks of relief goods for people of Mansehra. The trucks will be handed over to Deputy Commissioner at Tharkra Stadium Mansehra while the army units working for relief will ensure relief items are delivered to the people of Mansehra. The items include food, family tents, blankets, charpais, kitchen items, LPG cylinders, water coolers and other household goods. Three more trucks are likely to arrive tomorrow for the flood affected population of KPK.

Deputy Chairman ERRA appealed to the nation for contributing generously towards flood affectees. He further said that ERRA will continue and assure the delivery of relief items to the flood affectees of earthquake areas. Gen Haroon who took charge of ERRA few months back, said that the country is passing through a testing time and this requires a collaborative effort at national level and sharing what we have with those in need including material things and expertise. ERRA being in the fifth year of reconstruction and rehabilitation of earthquake affected areas is now a pool of experts but has always risen to the occasion with actively participating in relief whenever there were difficult times. Previously, ERRA has already dispatched four trucks, 2 each for KPK and AJK of relief goods, including food, family tents, blankets, charpais, kitchen items, rice and other household goods to Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Mansehra and Balakot.