Birmingham's Kashmiri community is in a race against time to send aid to earthquake-ravaged Pakistan before the winter snows bring more misery to survivors.

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, John Hood, formally launched an appeal fund amid warnings that deteriorating weather conditions before the end of the month would render the international recovery effort all but impossible.

Coun Hood (Con Sutton Vesey) said he spoke for everyone in Birmingham at the dismay felt at events in Kashmir.

He added: "Thousands of families in Birmingham will have been directly affected by the earthquake and I call upon all citizens of our city to dig deep and contribute to the appeal fund."

Arif Mahmood, vice-consul at the Pakistani High Commission in Britain, who was at the launch of the Lord Mayor's appeal, praised the city council for its quick response.

He said: "This shows the sympathy and feeling that exists in Birmingham. This is the time that we need your help.

"I would request on behalf of the Government of Pakistan that people give generously to the Lord Mayor's fund.

"There is a great need for blankets, medicine and food." Following consultation with the Pakistan Government over the weekend, Birmingham City Council is to send a team of 12 engineers to Pakistan to assist with recovery work.

An appeal for volunteers among the council workforce brought forward experts in drainage, highways, logistics and building design.

Chief Highway Engineer Neil Dancer said there had been no need to ask twice for employees willing to travel to the earthquake region.

Mr Dancer added: "People are very keen to help. We expect they will work mainly in recovery planning and getting the infrastructure back to use again."

It is estimated that as many as 200,000 Birmingham citizens are of Asian origin, with the majority from the Kashmir region. Few families are likely to be unaffected by the aftermath of the earthquake.

Social workers are on stand-by to give counselling to families affected by the disaster and every school in the city has been warned to be on the lookout for upset children.

Council leader Mike Whitby said: "Teachers need to be aware that sympathy will be needed. Some human affection will need to be given to those children who may be distressed because their relatives have been harmed."

The challenges facing the relief effort were outlined by Haroun Allah, of Islamic Relief Appeal, who said the Pakistan Government was getting aid to the people most affected as quickly as possible in extremely challenging circumstances.

Mr Allah said: "It is difficult because of the terrain and the scale of the problem.

"This is a very poor part of the world and the snow will be arriving soon. People will face very harsh conditions very soon. We have to be very quick but we also have to think for the long term."

* Donations to the earthquake appeal fund should be sent to The Lord Mayor's parlour, Birmingham Council House. Cheques payable to Lord Mayor's Charity.

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