|PIC1|Pakistani Christian leaders have renewed calls for urgent aid for the country’s earthquake victims. Since the 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Oct. 8, a second new crisis is hanging over the affected regions and a new even larger wave of deaths may be seen unless help arrives to survivors before winter arrives.

The United Nations (UN) has identified the worrying situation and has said that a “Catastrophe looms large”, report Assist News.

The Chairman of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA), Shahbaz Bhatti, reported that “The earthquake was the deadliest natural disaster in the Pakistan's history. Entire villages and towns have been wiped out from the face of the earth and large number of houses and other buildings in North-western parts of Pakistan and the Azad Kashmir region have been reduced to rubble in many cases, their inhabitants missing or no more.”

Bhatti also told how devastated people across the region have continued to pull out decomposed bodies of their nearest and dearest ones from the debris and aftermath.

|PIC2|A lack of resources and a very real fear of the spread of disease have emerged, with many suffering from hemorrhagic fevers, gangrenous infections, colds, tetanus and other epidemic diseases.

APMA has now launched a huge rescue and relief effort to provide aid to the victims.

"APMA Relief teams and emergency relief goods are dispatched to various affected areas and despite treacherous terrain is trying to reach as many victims as they could to provide them shelter, tents, blankets, food packages, milk, water and medicines," said Bhatti, according to Assist News.

The organisation are sending relief goods to affected areas such as tents, blankets, medicine, food packages, milk, water and warm clothing.

Bhatti says: "Many truckloads of relief goods have been delivered in the affected areas of Mansera, Balakot, Gari Habibullah, Shankiari, Jabbri, Muzaffarabad, and Nelam Valley and other affected areas. APMA teams present in the affected areas are trying to reach inaccessible areas or (places) where adequate supplies of goods are required. At times these volunteers of APMA walk several miles with relief goods to reach villages situated at high mountains."|TOP|

In an appeal to Christians for support, Bhatti said, “Let's kiss their innocent faces, let's put hands on the heads of crying sisters and mothers, let's weep in memory of those who have gone. Let's join hands together to give shelter, food and hope to live. Let's share the suffering, pain, grief and sorrows of victims. Let's pray for strength, rehabilitation and recovery of wounded, destitute, shelter-less victims of earthquake.

The APMA Chairman concluded saying, “They are waiting for your response -- let's stand with APMA to make hopes (become reality).”