Pakistan has called for establishing regional mechanism on early warning to prevent possible disasters in the future, an official statement said today. Addressing the UN General Assembly session debating Tsunami disaster in Kobe ,Japan, Deputy Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations Masood Khalid said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, in his capacity as Chairman of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), had called for evolving such a mechanism for an Asia-wide Early Warning. Khalid said the people of Pakistan were shocked and saddened by this natural calamity and are ready to contribute, in whatever manner possible, to restore normalcy in the calamity hit areas. He also said Pakistan has sent donations while private television channels have run television broadcast for raising funds. Being neighbors in the region, Khalid said that Pakistan was among the first to respond to the human sufferings followed by the catastrophic earthquake in the Indian Ocean. Khalid said Pakistan is gratified that the international community has responded promptly and generously to help the victims of this unprecedented disaster. "We appreciate the UN efforts in coordinating and facilitating the global relief work adding that Pakistan will continue to support the international efforts to quick succor to the affected people and hasten the process of their reconstruction and rehabilitation in the countries hit by Tsunami", he added.
