Huge Aid Effort Needed Say Local Councillors

11.55.43am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 11th Oct 2005

Leeds City Councillors Kabeer Hussain and Javaid Akhtar have appealed for a concerted aid effort in the wake of the devastation caused by Saturday's massive earthquake in the regions of Kashmir and Northern Pakistan.

Councillor Kabeer Hussain (Hyde Park & Woodhouse) said, "The earthquake has caused untold devastation and suffering to the people in the northern Pakistan and Kashmiri regions. The shocking images relayed across our television screens are causing widespread concern and anxiety amongst those who have links with the area.

I was proud to see that the British Emergency Services were amongst the first to offer aid to those affected, but their contribution is severely hindered if there is no greater swell of aid forthcoming. There is so much work to do with thousands more lives at risk, every contribution is vital."

Councillor Javaid Akhtar (Gipton & Harehills) commented, "The aid effort so far has once again been a credit to British people but we all need to do what we can to alleviate the suffering. Over the next few days and weeks the needs of communities who have suffered this tragedy will become clearer, but in the meantime I would urge all who can to offer support."

Councillor Hussain added "The key organisations accepting donations at this stage (11/10/05) are Unicef, Kashmir International Relief Fund, Red Cross/Red Crescent, Oxfam and Muslim Aid. The Disaster Emergency Committee will be shortly launching an emergency appeal."

Notes to the Editor:

Unicef

www.unicef.org

Call: 0800 037 9797

Kashmir International Relief Fund

www.kirf.org

Red Cross/ Red Crescent

www.ifrc.org

Call: 08450 535 353

Oxfam

www.oxfam.org.uk

Call: 0870 333 2500

Muslim Aid

www.muslimaid.org

Call: 020 7377 4200

The views in this Press Release are those of the Liberal Democrat Council Group, and not necessarily those of Leeds City Council, its Officers or of the Liberal Democrat Party.