New Delhi: Extending a helping hand, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday offered to provide humanitarian
assistance to Pakistan that is running against time to dig out
135 people, mostly soldiers, buried under snow after a massive
avalanche slammed into a key Army camp in the Siachen sector.
The Prime Minister made the offer for humanitarian
assistance during his meeting with Pakistan President Asif Ali
Zardari here at his Race Course Road residence.
Singh said India was ready to offer any help to Pakistan.
Zardari appreciated India's offer and said he will seek
assistance if needed.
Meanwhile, in Pakistan, rescuers resumed their desperate
search after suspending the operation late last night because
of darkness and poor weather, though there were no signs of
survivors a day after avalanche hit the camp.
Military officials told the media that there was no
information on survivors.
Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani flew to Skardu to
personally review the rescue operation.
Heavy machinery was airlifted from the garrison city of
Rawalpindi for the rescue effort, officials said.
The avalanche hit a battalion headquarters at Gyari in
Siachen sector, burying 124 security personnel and 11
civilians under up to 80 feet of snow in an area a kilometre
wide.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, April 08, 2012, 17:24