Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victims (SPAPEV), a Saudi relief organization working in Pakistan since October 8, 2005, has provided $2million flour bags to World Food Programme (WFP) authorities for onward distribution in quake hit areas of Azad Kashmir and North West Frontier Province (NWFP). A huge quantity of flour bags were purchased and handed over to WFP for distribution among quake survivors. Talking to newsmen at Mansehra (NWFP) after distribution of flour bags among victims of Shinkiari, and other adjacent areas, SPAPEV Media Director Ibrahim Homaily said that the Saudi relief organization was established specially for quake hit victims to help mitigate their sufferings. Recently, the SPAPEV provided 0.7 million US dollar school material to Read Foundation for running schools in Azad Kashmir areas, devastated by the earthquake. At least 22,000 schools children including girls and boys up to secondary level were provided bags, stationery books, two sets of uniforms for each student and other essential material used for educational purposes. The Media Director said that SPAPEV so far has distributed relief goods loaded in 1000 trucks worth millions of riyals among the quake-affected people of Bagh, Muzaffarabad Mansehra, Balakot, and other areas damaged by the catastrophe. The SPAPEV handed over these relief goods including tents, blankets, quilts, G.I sheets, food packets, stoves, medicines and other essential items soon after the earthquake to many welfare organizations including Al-Hubaib Foundation, International Islamic Relief Organization, World Assembly for Muslim Youth, NWFP and AJK governments and several other relief organizations. Homaily said the SPAPEV was working in Pakistan on the directives of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, under supervision of Prince Naif in Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior , and under guidance of Advisor to Interior Minister, Dr. Saad Al-Harithi who is also its Chairman. He said the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan is also supporting SPAPEV‘s projects relating to reconstruction being completed in the earthquake stricken areas of Pakistan. Currently, the SPAPEV is engaged in building houses for displaced families of Balakot and so far, some 1800 pre-fabricated houses have been constructed in the area. The work on remaining 2200 houses is in progress and to be completed shortly, Homaily said. The displaced families of the area would shortly be provided keys of their pre-fabricated houses so that they could continue their normal lives there, he said.
