As of 29 October, the estimated death toll of the earthquake in Pakistan was around 80,000, with more than 3 million rendered homeless. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf appealed to the world for help. Many countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations are assisting in relief work and providing aid to the region in the form of donations as well as relief supply, including food, medical supplies, tents and blankets. What is the nature of external assistance and the problems associated with it? Is there any internal politics in accepting the aid, especially from India, Israel and NATO? What are the internal problems in terms of reaching out the quake areas? Even after 20 days, why is the relief work ineffective?

The people and the Pakistan government are striving hard to cope up with the disaster as rescue efforts are severely affected by heavy rains. Lack of a road network in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) hampers most of the relief work in the region. The only means to transport supplies to distant villages are by mule trains or by helicopters. The onset of winter in the upper reaches of the area will soon make it impossible to deliver supply by roads, leaving helicopters as the only means for transportation. There is an urgent requirement for helicopters, blankets, water and sanitation, food, and medical assistance. Musharraf, in his initial address to the people, said his country did not have enough helicopters to meet the challenges and appealed to the world to provide helicopters. The US took the lead in sending its helicopters, besides dispatching heavy machinery and technical experts from its army. As of 28 October, 30 helicopters from NATO are operating in earthquake relief efforts. The US plans to provide 15 additional helicopters, bringing the total number of deployed helicopters to 45. Food distribution in quake-stricken areas would be carried out by using Chinook helicopters. More helicopters are coming in from foreign countries to participate in the relief operations. It is however unfortunate that Pakistan refused Indian helicopters. India was willing to provide helicopters to help Pakistan, but the latter wanted the helicopters without pilots. India did not accept this condition.

Besides helicopters, tents are the need of the day. Thousands of injured people languish without shelter and medical care in cities and villages across the earthquake-stricken region as the country has run out of tents. Pakistan will need at least two million tents to set up makeshift cities in the short run.

Initial estimates of $5 billion for reconstruction may now insufficient, given the nature of the disaster. The US has provided more than $50 million. The Gulf States, Kuwait and UAE announced $200 mn in aid. China has sent a 49-member rescue team and $6.2 mn. The UK has provided $21 mn and its disaster emergency committee is finalizing the report for immediate requirement. The EU has announced $4.4 mn for food, medicine, water and sanitation. Canada has announced a $ 300,000 donation. The World Bank has offered $40 mn to rebuild the homes. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided $10 mn for usage in worst hit areas. The Red Cross has provided emergency food and shelter to 1, 20,000 people.

The United Nations has appealed to the world to come forward 'large heartedly', describing the quake as "worse than the tsunami". The representative of UN agencies viz. WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR, IOM etc. have said that the world fulfilled 80 per cent of the aid calls after the Indian Ocean tsunami, but just 30 per cent of the aid appeal for the 8 October earthquake. They claim the inadequate response might be because there had been at least three major calamities to hit the globe in less than a year.

It is unfortunate that the aid offers are being politicized, especially those from Israel, India and NATO. Israel offered assistance despite not having diplomatic relations, but Pakistan has problems in accepting it. There was no consensus among Pakistan political parties on NATO's participation in the relief work. The Opposition in the National Assembly criticized the government for allowing NATO to take part in relief and rehabilitation activities without taking Parliament in to confidence. Moreover, Pakistan initially expressed reluctance to accept aid from India but later changed its mind to accept aid only in 'certain forms and format', and to be routed through Islamabad. This manmade tragedy of 'politics before humanity' has certainly delayed the relief work and could have been averted. A humanitarian approach must be adopted to handle tragedies of this nature and not by complicating the problem by bickering politically.