Pakistan, England cricketers visit quake victims and announce donations by AFP

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Event:

England in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 31st October 2005

 

English and Pakistani cricketers on Sunday visited Pakistani earthquake victims and announced donations to help them recover from the disaster.

 

England captain Michael Vaughan and opener Marcus Trescothick visited the quake-hit Bagh district of Pakistan-administered Kashmir and distributed relief goods and medicine, media manager Andrew Walpole told AFP.

 

England cricketers were moved by the "massive" destruction caused by the October 8 earthquake, he said.

 

"England and Wales Cricket Board and Team England Players partnership have also announced a donation in the range of 100,000 pounds which they will give in the next few days," said Walpole.

 

Separately Pakistan's cricket team visited earthquake victims in two hospitals and said they would donate their match fee from one of the upcoming Tests against England to help rebuild houses in affected areas.

 

Team captain Inzamam-ul Haq, coach Bob Woolmer and 13 other players visited Rawalpindi General Hospital and Islamabad Hospital Complex for more than two hours. Express paceman Shoaib Akhtar did not make it as he was unwell.

 

"This is our mission to bring smiles back to affected people especially children," said Inzamam.

 

"Our heart goes out for the victims and it's painful to read the death toll and see the injured after such massive devastation."

 

The earthquake left 54,000 people dead and made more than three million homeless.

 

The players spent half an hour with month-old baby boy Ahmad Akhtar, who had both his legs fractured. The quake demolished his home in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir which bore the brunt of the disaster.

 

Six-year-old Waseem Yousuf, who lost all the fingers on his right hand, was excited to meet the Pakistan players. "I love (Shahid) Afridi and am delighted to meet him," he said.

 

The Pakistan team also announced they would donate part of their match fee for one year.

 

"All the players will donate their full match fee from the Multan Test (around 1.5 million rupees or 25,000 dollars) and will continue to donate five percent of the match fee for one year," said Inzamam.

 

Pakistan meet England at Multan, in the first of three Tests, from November.

 

"We are also donating all the expenses for building 100 houses in affected areas," said Inzamam.

 

The Pakistani skipper said his team would visit the now razed town of Balakot in North West Frontier Province as soon as they had time.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)