Aid to Earthquake Victims

– This weekend we decided that we needed to help, Mohammad Usman Rana and Abrar Quazi, leader and organiser of PSS at UiO, explain.

– Entire villages are demolished; infrastructure has been reduced from poor to non-existent, four million people are homeless and have no clean water, and the death toll is expected to exceed 30,000. Kashmir is struck the hardest. This is an area of specific importance to the people of Pakistan, Rana says.

– We cannot ignore the destructions down there. PSS has therefore started a fund-raiser in order to help earthquake victims. This campaign is still premature; we have opened an account and got the collecting boxes ready. Now we need volunteers who can help us raise the money, Quazi says.

– How will the funds be allocated?

– We are going to forward the funds to the established humanitarian organisations in the area. Our aim is that as much as possible will be given to the victims and not disappear through administrative costs. There is a vital demand for tents, blankets, food, clean water and medicines. Small donations will make a huge difference for the victims.

– There are doctors who have considered going down there to offer a helping hand. However, financial aid is what matters the most at this point. They have the personnel but lack the proper equipment.

– There are much better ways of spending NOK 10,000 than blowing it all on a plane ticket to Pakistan, Rana replies when asked whether they are going to send down representatives from PSS.