The arrival of the second team of the China International Search and Rescue (CISAR) has attracted high attention and received great support from the local community in Balakot, the team's leader Zhao Heping said in Balakot Sunday.

At the site for the CISAR's locomotive hospital, quite a number of local residents came early in the morning, helping the team build the medical tents. Among them were some people still with slight injuries in arms or legs by the October 8 earthquake.

Medical staff of international rescue teams or local hospitals visited the Chinese locomotive hospital, saying the team brought with them the most advanced equipment and facilities.

The women medical staff with the team right met with the urgent need, as the Pakistani women never went to see a man doctor due to local customs, said a local medical staff.

Lieutenant colonel Saeed, the chief officer of the disaster-relief headquarters in Balakot, was invited to take a laboratory test with ultrasonic and ECG devices. "Such devices are the first of its type since the disaster hit the region," Saeed said.

GEO TV station, one of the major mainstream TV stations in Pakistan, also covered the news about the CISAR and its locomotive hospital.

In an interview with GEO, Zhao said the Chinese government dispatched the second team of CISAR shortly after the return of the first team, at the request of the World Health Organization and in accordance with the Pakistani real situation. The government also provided the team with the best equipment and facilities.

"The Chinese government attached much concern over the disaster-hit Pakistani people, and will always give them help as much as possible," Zhao said.

Huang Jianfa, deputy director of the team, said that the team has received heart-felt welcome and support from local military troops and people.

Apart from full-page stories by local media, the association of animal protection in Pakistan also made an offer of donkeys and mules for the team so that the medical staff could go deeper into the mountainous areas and help residents therein.

The military troops in Balakot said they will give wide-ranging publicity of the Chinese hospital to the local residents, and offer military vehicles for the team.

By press time, the CISAR's locomotive hospital had received 54 patients, and a small team of three doctors also had given medical treatment to 14 patients in villages nearby.

(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2005)