SWABI: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar and senior minister Shahram Khan Tarakaihave saidthatthe provincial government would provide adequate financial assistance to the victims of Oct 26 earthquake.

They were addressing a press conference at Mr Qaisar`s residence in Marghuz here on Thursday. MPA Haidar Ali, who is also the provincial deputy organiser of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, MNA Agibullah Khan and Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan central vice-president Biland Iqbal were also present on the occasion.

The PTI and AJIP leaders announced that due to the earthquake the visit of PTI chairman Imran Khan to Swabi had been put back to Nov 22.`Imran was scheduled to visit the districtin connection with the AJIP`s merger with PTI on Nov 1, but his visit has been delayed owing to the earthquake,` Mr Qaisar said.

The PA Speaker said that he along with the provincial ministers would soon visit the most affected earthquake areas, especially Swat and Dir.

`The purpose of the visit is to support the affected people in the hour of need while providing complete financial help to them,` he claimed.

The earthquake has shaken the entire province, he said, adding that scores of people lost their beloved ones and many others were injured, while hundreds of houses collapsed. However, he said that the PTI-led government had focused on helping the people.

`The provincial government has immediately released Rs500 million and more financial help in coordination with the federal government is expected soon,` he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Tarakai said that after theearthquake it was not possible to celebrate the PTI-AJIP merger with a fanfare, adding that their priority now was to rebuild the collapsed houses, hospitals and other ofñces in the province.

`It is our responsibility to perform our national duty and help the affected people,` he said.

The senior minister said that the entire province was in grief after the devastated earthquake.

Mr Tarakai, who is also the chairman of AJIP, claimed that the visit of PTI chief would change the political landscape of entire KP because it would be one of the biggest public meetings so far held in the country. He said that with the visit of Imran the AJIP would be merged into PTI and it would emerge as a strong political force in the district.

Mr Ali said that every worker and leader of the party would take part in the PTI public meeting and it was expected that the party chairman would make important announcements on the occasion.