Constitution allows army to take over responsibilities in emergencies: Maj Gen Farooq
ISLAMABAD: Federal Relief Commissioner Major General Farooq has said that constitution allows army to take over the responsibilities to tackle the emergency situation and Pakistan army held the charge of relief activities in earthquake-hit areas as the whole civil administration had been wiped out.
He stated this while addressing a two-day workshop on "Transparent Utilization of Earthquake Reconstruction Fund," here on Tuesday.
He said that as many as one billion rupees in president relief fund had been received so far and government would take all possible initiatives to avoid the corruption in the second phase of reconstruction.
He said that government had chalked out a comprehensive strategy and mechanism to utilize funds and would take all stakeholders and partners into confidence to articulate the strategy of reconstruction.
He said that earthquake in Pakistan on Oct 8, 2005 had resulted in devastation to the great magnitude and as many as 73 thousand human lives had been lost.
He further said that 128 thousand people had sustained serious injuries in the earthquake and eighteen thousand children had feared dead and added that the whole infrastructure including civil administration had been damaged.
"35 percent telecom sector, 70 percent electricity infrastructure was destroyed and 574 health units were smashed in the earthquake areas and army was to handle the situation as no civil administration was left in these areas to address the problems of the masses," he added.
He informed that the army with the cooperation of different organizations had provided 866686 tents, 317631 shelters, 5424593 blankets and 17964 tons medicines to the earthquake affected people.
Hinting at the corruption, he said that it was necessary to wipe it out and government was taking all possible measures to ensure the transparency regarding the utilization of funds in reconstruction process.
"The measures will be taken to raise awareness among the people about it and all resources will be materialized to ensure the implementation of policies regarding the reconstruction process in the quake-hit areas," he said.
Handing Over Of Pakistan Earthquake Fund
By Grace Jiu.
Bandar Seri Begawan - Donations have been pouring in for the Pakistan Earthquake Humanitarian Fund established with the consent of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam on October 19, last year and it has accumulated a total of $1,000;671.04 to date.
Donations for the fund were made by members of the public via SMS, through donation boxes placed in mosques, Muslim prayer houses (suraus), banks, commercial buildings and public places throughout the country as well as through various sports and community activities.
Of that total, $93,273 was garnered from donors via SMS, $403,725.45 from the Brunei Islamic Religious Council, $100,000 from the Pakistan Charity Dinner-cum Cultural Performance Function organised by the High Commission of Pakistan and $403,645.59 from relevant donation boxes as well as donations from members of the public, companies and associations that approached the Fund's Secretariat directly.
The total contribution was handed over by the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awg Hj Mohammad to the High Commissioner of Pakistan, Major General (Rtd) Syed Haider Jawed. Also in attendance was Awg Hj Jemat bin Hj Ampal, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
The handing over ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, and the Pakistan High Commission. The event took place at the Minister's Office, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.
The establishment of the fund, which was dissolved recently, was to assist in alleviating the sufferings of Pakistan earthquake victims and help them regain normal livelihood.
The Pakistan Earthquake Humanitarian Fund, was comanaged by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Religious Affairs, including members from nongovernmental agencies. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
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Pakistan-Quake missing Campaign to haunt missing in Pakistan earthquake
Islamabad, June 8, IRNA
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has launched a joint public campaign with a view to elucidating the fate of 221 persons - including 85 children - still unaccounted for since the October 8 earthquake.
This program was formally launched here on Thursday.
Program Manager of the campaign Nancy Sorenier has said that following the earthquake, more than 400 families approached the ICRC and the PRCS about missing relatives.
So far, 179 cases have been resolved and among them 79 people have been confirmed alive, while about 100 had been verified dead in the earthquake.
She said that haunting of missing 114 men, 22 women and 85 children in progress.
Nancy further said that A book and posters with the names and - wherever possible - photos of those missing will be made available in schools, hospitals, PRCS and ICRC offices and other public places.
She said that media can play very effective role in our campaign, so, TV spots will be used to trace the missing people.
"Only 10 days ago, a 16-year-old girl from the quake-devastated Balakot town was reunited with her family," said Nancy.
She was away from home when the earthquake struck and wrongly assumed that her entire family had died. She was finally found in a school in Karachi where she been brought by a family with whom she had taken refuge, she added.
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Pervez may clip army chief's wings before giving up uniform
Aditya Sinha
New Delhi, June 11, 2006|03:46 IST
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is planning to give up his uniform, but not before a paradigm shift in his country's power structure. It is believed he is planning to dilute the power of the army chief, the post he's promised to quit before the 2007 general elections.
Presently, Musharraf has nine corps commanders (of Lt General rank) under him. together, they function as Pakistan's board of directors. Government sources say he's planning an ordinance that will create posts for two regional commands â a northern commander and a southern commander (India has such regional commands).
These regional commanders, sources say, will be full Generals, like the army chief. The nine corps commanders will report to them (four to one, five to the other). This will dilute the army chief's power in two ways. One, being of nearly the same rank, the regional commanders will keep an eye on him. Two, he cannot conspire with the corps commanders without the regional commanders knowledge (coups in Pakistan are carried out by key corps like the one in Rawalpindi).
Musharraf is apparently doing this because he's seriously considering fulfilling his promise to shed his uniform before elections. The current national assembly will expire in November 2007. By law, the President can be re-elected within 60 days prior to the end of the assembly's life. The elections, however, can be called within 90 days after the assembly's expiry. The President evidently plans to re-elect himself.
Musharraf seems confident that the opposition political parties will be unable to dislodge him. The Charter for Democracy, which includes Nawaz Sharif's PML and Benazir Bhutto's PPP, does not appear to be working on the ground. Benazir is suspected of keeping a channel open with the army. And there's no common political agenda to send the army back to the barracks.
On the other hand, Musharraf's advisers are cautioning him about the worsening situation in Balochistan, and increasing US pressure vis-Ã -vis Afghanistan. They are seeking ways for him to consolidate power while giving up the top army post.
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ACT Situation Report
Pakistan 07/06
ACT appeal ASSA51 (Revision 2) - Emergency Relief to Quake-affected
Geneva, May 17, 2006
Information provided by ACT member Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan (CWS); the following is a compilation of extracts from weekly reports on CWS-ACT activities during the last part of April
From the April 19 report
Psychosocial program team
The activities in the last week included follow-up of the vulnerable families left behind in tent villages, visits to United Pakistan camp and regular counseling sessions with the IDPs returning to their hometowns.
The team compiled a list of vulnerable families residing in United Pakistan tent village and shared it with camp managers. The team also made arrangements for the few families in the Turkish and Alrasheed camp who are not ready to return yet. It has been generally observed that vulnerable families also tend to move out of the camps once general migration starts. The United Pakistan camp management was informed of the status of the families who are to be shifted. The residents of United Pakistan tent village are very apprehensive and confused about their future. Lack of accurate information and details about return policies further add to their anxiety. Movement of most of these IDPs is forced and involuntary. Return packages for the families were not distributed on an equal basis. Most of the resident of United Pakistan informed the psychosocial team that the food-package distribution stopped two months ago. The concerns of the residents were then put forward to the camp officials by the CWS team. In addition, counseling sessions were conducted with several families. As of April 18, almost all of the 267 families in the camp had left for their villages or other areas., counseling sessions were conducted with several families. As of April 18, almost all of the 267 families in the camp had left for their villages or other areas.
The team organized a henna design competition for the women in the United Pakistan camp to help create a healthy and somewhat relaxed environment. Women participated actively and socialized with others. The United Pakistan team also held a sports competition with the children in the camp.
The team has also extended its activities to spontaneous camps (as opposed to the organized camps referred to above). During the visit to Batdarian, the team met with women and children and carried out an assessment of the camp. The women were encouraged to share their stories and concerns.
Recovery assessment and Monitoring (RAM) team
A scouting team was sent to the villages of Pamal Sharif and Batamori. The team also worked with the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) water and sanitation assessor to identify sites for water schemes in Manaye, Gangwal, Karmung, Rashang and Battila.
Team members were assigned to accompany the relief evaluation teams to Chatter Plain, Dhudyal, Ashwal, and Pattika, areas where relief goods were distributed, and where beneficiaries are still using CWS-ACT tents. CWS-ACT prepared electronic copies of the relief distribution maps for the four districts of Mansehra, Battagram, Shangla and Kohistan.
Construction Trade Training Center (CTTC)
The third of the CTTCs (managed by CWS-ACT in collaboration with the Dosti Foundation) is under construction at Battagram. At the centers, men are receiving vocational training in four construction trades - masonry, electricity, welding, and plumbing and carpentry. The second session at the Mansehra CTTC began on April 12.
From the April 26 report
Psychosocial program
The activities in the last week included the assessments of different spontaneous camps in Bat-darian, Potha, Ghazikot and Ghazikot Maira to identify needs for future psychosocial work. The team registered 36 profiles of the tent villagers in Bat-darian camp and arranged five group meetings with them to identify their needs.
Almost all the planned camps are now closed, but spontaneous camps are still operational in a few locations. The psychosocial team continues to support and maintain follow-ups of the IDPs even after camp closures. It has been shared that some families are facing problems in returning to their homes as the roads are blocked due to landslides.
Health and hygiene program
The health and hygiene team visited the Batheria spontaneous camp and registered 136 children. Children were divided into two groups based on their ages and were given hygiene promotion training. The team also visited Ghazikot and Ghazikot Mera camps where it conducted surveys for future work. Chatter Plain and Battal governmental schools have also been visited for the same purpose.
Water and sanitation program
The water and sanitation team is working in various spontaneous camps. In Maira camp and Haripur, the water and sanitation equipment has been handed over to local authorities. Water-storage tanks and pipelines are under construction in the Siran valley of Mansehra District. In Chattar Plains, the laying of water lines to Sharkulei village from Ashwal areas is in progress. Pipelines are also being repaired in Battagram. Boreholes have been completed in Ghazi kot and Ghazi kot Maira of Mansehra District.
Training on chlorination of the tanks was conducted for Public Health and Engineering Department staff in Battagram.
Recovery and monitoring and assessment (RAM) program
RAM teams are engaged in monitoring, capacity building of staff, and providing support to Norwegian Church Aid (NCA). Deployed monitoring teams covered two tehsils (counties) - Palas and Chakisar of Kohistan and Shangla Districts respectively. In Palas, three union councils and seven villages were covered in which 85 household profiles and six village profiles were completed. In Chakisar, one union council and four villages were covered in which 115 household profiles and five village profiles were completed.
The RAM team also facilitated NCA's identification of the areas for water and sanitation activities. NCA has approved eight more schemes on the basis of data provided by the RAM team - Ugaz Banda, Kotgala, Shagai and Kander in Peshora; Kunjbori, Torra Dehri and Inzarpatti in Thakot and Batagram City.
Capacity-building program
This program of the Emergency Field Office of CWS-ACT is planning its monthly seminar titled "Recovery Update and Planning." The main objective of this seminar is to provide a platform where the CWS-NCA-ACT team members and their implementing partners can share their achievements and identify gaps and constrains in their work. The seminar will also help to ensure cooperation among all stakeholders while designing future strategies.
(ends)
ACT is a global alliance of churches and related agencies working to save lives and support communities in emergencies worldwide. The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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<span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>
Which country hosts the most refugees?
Pakistan
According to U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, Pakistan is the world's main asylum country, hosting more than 1 million refugees. Afghanistan remains the source of the largest number of refugees worldwide - 1.9 million people in 72 countries. The number of people uprooted by conflict or persecution rose to 20.8 million last year, but refugees who have actually fled their homeland now account for only four out of every 10. </span>
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Pakistan still faces massive post-quake challenge -08/06/06
A host of daunting challenges still face Pakistan as it tries to recover from a devastating earthquake last October, writes Chris Herlinger, a New York-based correspondent for Ecumenical News International who was recently on assignment in Pakistan for the US humanitarian organization Church World Service, a member of the Action of Churches Together International network.
As international attention focusses on Indonesia, the post-quake situation in Pakistan is demanding massive resources - from a nation that is also coping with seemingly perennial problems of poverty, corruption and political instability.
The earthquake killed about 80 000 people, and displaced another 3.3 million, permanently altering the landscape of the North West Frontier Province and the Pakistani-controlled Azad Kashmir region.
Almost eight months since the earthquake struck, humanitarian aid workers, government officials and disaster survivors say the coming months will present new challenges to the predominately Islamic nation.
Chief among them is the rainy season, which may require the Pakistani government to evacuate residents who are now returning to villages that were levelled in the catastrophe.
There is also deep uncertainty among returnees about whether the areas they are returning to are safe and whether they have left temporary camps too quickly. Some observers have also alleged that the government has forcibly removed people from the camps.
But in a recent interview, a representative of the Pakistan's Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) said that was not the case and he hailed the response both by the government and by relief groups.
"It was tremendous work," ERRA representative Rab Nawaz told a group of US and European aid workers and church officials. Nawaz also defended the pace of reconstruction efforts, which some have criticised as proceeding too slowly. "This needs time," he said.
A group of villagers from the small community of Naran, who had relocated to a camp near Balakot City, itself was heavily destroyed in the quake, said they remained uncertain when they could return to their village, some 86 kilometres away.
The villagers were also unsure how they would regain their livelihoods, as their cattle, a crucial means of support, had all been lost in the earthquake. Even so, they said the authorities had done a good job in their initial response to the disaster.
Still, the International Crisis Group (ICG), which monitors international crises, was highly critical of the Pakistani government in a recent report, calling the disaster response "ill-planned" and "poorly executed".
Among other things, it faulted authorities for tolerating radical Islamic groups, banned under the national Anti-Terrorism Law, and allowing them to respond to the emergency.
Said the International Crisis Group: "Should jihadi groups that have been active in relief work remain as involved in reconstruction, threats to domestic and regional security will increase."
The Action of Churches Together aid network is an associate of the Geneva-based World Council of Churches (WCC).
[With acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches]
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Source: International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
Date: 23 May 2006
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Pakistan earthquake: life begins to return to normal in remote valleys and villages
by Karl Schuler of the Swiss Red Cross, in the North-West Frontier Province
With the arrival of warmer weather, many of the survivors of last year's earthquake in Pakistan have returned to their villages, which are still in ruins.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is continuing to support the Pakistan Red Crescent Society in assisting survivors with reconstruction and health care.
The Indus River winds through a narrow canyon and then widens as it approaches a suspension bridge near the village of Jambera, in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province.
In places where the current lets up a bit, children play water games â some paddle around on inner tubes while others dive for trout. Anyone watching this boisterous scene would find it hard to believe that six short months ago, this area was reduced to rubble by the quake, which killed over 73,000 people and made more than 3.5 million homeless.
In the village's heavily damaged mosque, the nasim, or village head, announces the arrival of a Red Cross Red Crescent medical team over a loudspeaker system. The team sets up their tent in the village square since the local medical dispensary, which was destroyed by the earthquake, will have to be rebuilt.
Since November 2005, a doctor, two nurses and two immunisation specialists have been paying weekly visits to Jambera, in Pakistan's Besham district, to provide medical care to local villagers. Around 10,000 people are estimated to live in the surrounding area, which stretches alongside the river and includes hamlets scattered high up on the steep mountain slopes.
This morning, 50 small children are immunized and 90 patients are examined by the team. Out of respect for traditional customs and traditions, the women are shown into the tent, while the men and children are taken care of outside.
Dysentery, respiratory ailments and skin rashes are some of the most common problems afflicting the quake survivors. Dr. Hayat Ali Shah explains that the team "doesn't simply hand out medicine". He says that they also make people aware of the need for good hygiene practices, such as boiling water for drinking.
The pipe that used to bring water from a mountain spring to the village was damaged by the earthquake and the water is still contaminated. Hydraulic engineers from the International Federation are expected to repair it in the coming weeks.
The International Federation has also set up two medical teams that travel all over the Besham area and visit eight villages on a regular basis.
Project Coordinator, Anne-Marie Delaney, says the two units will need to keep working until 2008, because rebuilding the region's destroyed health infrastructure will require more time.
"We are working with our Pakistani counterparts to improve women's and children's health," she explains. "Health education and the training of female health workers are two essential components of our activities."
Traditionally, women and girls can only be examined by other women, so female volunteers and health workers play a key role in ensuring that everyone affected by the earthquake has access to medical care.
Up on the steep slopes of the Allai Valley, terrace grain crops come in varying shades of green. The landscape is dotted with apricot and cherry trees in bloom.
In the distance, children watch over a group of grazing goats and sheep while humming a soft shepherd's tune. A mudslide caused by recent violent storms has blocked the usual path, so we travel the last few kilometres up the rugged mountainside on foot. It's an exhausting climb.
Over the next patch of rock, the scattered houses of Pashtoo village stretch out before us. The earthquake spared only a few buildings in the village. Using what remained of building walls, survivors used boards, tarpaulins and corrugated iron to create makeshift shelters, which helped them get through the winter.
With the arrival of spring, families who found refuge in a tent camp further down the mountain have also returned to the higher parts of the valley. All around, people are busy cutting stone blocks to repair their houses.
Jhangir Asslam and his five sons are preparing to rebuild their home.
To date, he has received 25,000 rupees, or around 500 Swiss francs, as part of the government's owner-driven housing reconstruction scheme. The authorities have promised to give a series of cash grants totalling around 175,000 rupees to individuals so they can rebuild their own homes.
"We want to have a roof over our heads by next winter," explains Jhangir. With a shelter built on his own patch of land, he'll be able to take care of his family thanks to a small herd of cows.
In March, the Red Cross Red Crescent team stationed in Banna, the main village in the Allai valley, stepped up its distribution of corrugated iron and shelter repair tools to villagers. During the first six months after the earthquake, around 14,000 families benefited from this form of aid.
The roofing materials, which were provided by the Swiss Red Cross, will come in handy during the transition period from spring to summer. When the monsoon season starts in July, temporary shelters will protect the inhabitants from the elements until more permanent homes can be built.
Over the longer term, the Red Cross Red Crescent also plans to invest in promoting healthcare and training volunteers, as it is already doing in Besham district.
Quake helicopter service in Pakistan's quake zone grounded
Islamabad, May 31 (Xinhua) Poor funding has led to the closure Wednesday of the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) in Pakistan, a critical lifeline to thousands of survivors of last year's devastating earthquake in the country's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
Launched just two days after the disaster, the service provided a primary source of relief supplies for many remotely located affected communities.
'It could slow down the reconstruction effort,' Einar Schjolberg, former UNHAS head of mission in the Pakistani capital Islamabad said.
'If the UN cannot get support (such) as tools, material and food up to the remote areas, then people will stay in the IDP (internally displaced persons) camps,' he warned.
Described by many as the largest and most complex humanitarian helicopter operation ever, UNHAS Pakistan brought aid and relief to hundreds of remote villages and hamlets scattered throughout the 28,000 square kilometres quake-affected area.
More than 80,000 people were killed and 3.5 million people rendered homeless in the Oct 8, 2005 earthquake, which ripped through Pakistan's NWFP and Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.
With a proposed budget of $100 million, UNHAS employed 24 helicopters until recently.
A non-profit UN service provider under the stewardship of the World Food Programme (WFP) is providing it with administrative and logistical support.
Historic Humanitarian Helicopter Service Wound Up In Pakistan
Main Category: Aid / Disasters News
Article Date: 31 May 2006 - 18:00pm (PDT)
The largest humanitarian helicopter operation ever organised by the United Nations ended today after having successfully transported nearly 30,000 tons of aid supplies and tens of thousands of aid workers and other passengers to the Pakistan-administered parts of Kashmir struck by a devastating earthquake eight months ago.
The United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS), which was administered by the World Food Programme, started two days after the massive earthquake killed over 73,000 people on 8 October 2005.
"We would have liked to keep a smaller fleet during the coming monsoon period when some roads could be blocked, but we do not have enough resources to maintain the operation," said Michael Jones, WFP Country Director in Pakistan.
UNHAS flew 24 helicopters until March 2006, including eight from the United States and NATO forces. By the end of April, UNHAS was left with only eight helicopters. During May it worked with four helicopters.
"These helicopters remained crucial in transporting food and non-food items like medicine and warm clothing and they helped to prevent many deaths during the emergency phase," said Jones.
<b>
"WFP/UNHAS airlifted more than 28,000 tons of food and other aid supplies such as tents and tools, on behalf of the humanitarian community. This was in addition to transporting nearly 40,000 passengers, including thousands of humanitarian workers to the affected areas, and evacuating some 8,200 sick and wounded to the nearest hospitals," said Shorty Adlard, chief of UNHAS air operations.</b>
Following the earthquake, the helicopter operation proved vital in reaching hundreds of thousands of people in areas cut off by landslides. The WFP/UNHAS fleet included MI-8, MI-26 and KA32 models. The agency also had support from US Chinooks, German Stallions and Australian Black Hawks.
Pakistan Addresses 'Big Picture' in Quake Aftermath
San Francisco, Calif. (KCBS) -- As relief pours into central Indonesia following a massive weekend earthquake, one man who's been helping with quake recovery in Pakistan said besides providing immediate help, it's imperative to consider the "big picture."
Navaraja Gyawali, who is the Pakistani director of CARE, is handling the international humanitarian organization's $8 million relief effort in that country.
The original plan was to initiate long-term development projects, but that quickly changed when the country was rocked by a 7.6 earthquake last October.
Gyawali told KCBS that you obviously have to deal with the immediate needs for food, water and shelter. But addressing the broader picture gives people hope.
"In Pakistan, immediately after the weather changed in winter, the demands from the community were for their agriculture. We began distributing feeds and fertilizers, moving away from just tents and relief supplies," Gyawali said.
Areas most effected by Pakistan's earthquake still need help with basic infrastructure.
Pak has only got US$614m from intâl community pledges of US$6b so far: Hina Rabbani Khar
Friday May 26, 2006 (1017 PST)
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has received only US $ 614 million so far out of the total amount above US $ 6 billion pledged by the international community during the donor conference held in Islamabad last year for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of earthquake victims ," minister state for economic affairs Hina Rabbani Khar informed to the media men here on Thursday.
Minister said; However, Pakistan has not accepted the amount pledged to the tune of US $ 375 million by the IMF during the donor conference and considered only the pledged amount by the international community in term of soft loan.
She said that the government had negotiated with the international community and the donor institutions on the pledged amount to US 2.8 billion so far and will accept the pledged amount that would be in term of soft loan.
"Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has given as many as US $ 80 million and World Bank to the tune of US $ 50 million in term of grant for the earthquake victims," she added.
She further said that Pakistanâs economy had geared up for the last few years and this is why the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank were ready to give the loan as these banks meant for giving the loan in line with the economic performance.
"However, it is likely that the <span style='color:red'>Gross Domestic products (GDP) of Pakistan will fall by 58 percent due to the earthquake in Oct 8, 2005 in Pakistan," she added.
She said that loan of international community on Pakistan had also fallen during the current year as it stood at US$ 37.6 billion in 1990 and now it stands at US $ 35.2 billion.</span>
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, she said that meeting of high level panel on UN system-wide coherence in areas of development, humanitarian assistance and the environment had concluded presenting recommendations to make effective the UN system.
She further said that six countries including Pakistan, China, India had participated in the meeting , one from government and one from donors.
Minister of State for Environment Malik Amin Aslam said that the government was giving the top priority for the provision of clean drinking water to the masses throughout the country.
"As many as 150 filtration plants for the provision of clean drinking water to the masses have been made operational in the first phase whereas an overall 6000 filtration plants will be installed," minister added.
Minister further said in the current high level panel dialogue , it was focused also how to implement the global agreement regarding the environment.
Robert Greenhill Canadian president of Canadian International Development Agency, Ruth Jacoby Sweden director general for development cooperation, Josette S. Shiner USA under secretary for Economic, business and agricultural affairs were also present on the occasion.
News
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Indian govt ignored Kashmir earthquake victims: report
By Iftikhar Gilani
NEW DELHI: An NGO has lashed out at the Indian government for lack of planning and coordination in the rehabilitation of the October 8 earthquake victims in Jammu and Kashmir.
Releasing a comprehensive report on the rehabilitation policy, the Kashmir Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Co-ordination Committee (KERRCC) stated that official attitude in Kashmir was jaded and lacklustre in contrast to its planned approach towards tragedies in other parts of country.
Tapan K Bose, General Secretary of PIPFDD said that after initial shock, the administration had put its act together to tackle earthquakes in Latur (Mahrashtra) Uttrakashi (Uttranchal) and the recent Tsunami crises, but lack of planning and coordination in Kashmir was rampant. He said the problem has been further compounded by the 'security sensitivity' of the army and paramilitary forces. The report has also mentioned that volunteers who could reach to every village in Uri tehsil were not allowed to survey eight villages in Titwal area of Karnah tehsil. "The commandant of the army brigade at Titwal had initially agreed to let the volunteers visit the villages, but later refused permission," the report claimed. In certain areas, Indian army decided to take over the entire relief and rehabilitation operation. "NGOs were asked to submit their proposals and information about their activists to the local army officer for clearance," the report said.
The report alleged that army authorities seemed to disapprove any such activity aimed at making local people self-reliant. Bose further stated that survey and analysis of the damage was becoming impossible due to non-availability of authentic maps of the area. He said security agencies were refusing to release maps of these areas, which would have helped in fixing the exact location of the villages. "The focus of the rehabilitation was centered on the compensation of Rs one lakh announced by the state government which reached the victims before supply of materials was arranged. As a result, prices of materials needed for reconstruction was hiked drastically," said Tapan K Bose. The report, based on a survey of 21,000 houses in 150 villages in Uri and Tangdhar area, claimed that roads damaged by the earthquake have not yet been fully restored.
Courtesy http://www.DailyTimes.com.pk
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Des Moines opened its heart to Pakistan
By Mashal Husain
Since moving to Des Moines from a large urban setting seven years ago, I have enjoyed living in this community for its friendly people, sense of security, the âjust rightâ pace of life, short commutes and relatively light traffic. Now Iâve discovered yet another reason to love Des Moines: the kindhearted generosity and compassion that the people of this community have shown for those halfway across the world in Pakistan.
Six months ago, a devastating earthquake in Pakistan caused the worst emergency in the history of that country. According to UNICEF reports, nearly 4 million people have been directly affected: 3.3 million people lost their homes, more than 75,000 individuals were killed and 125,000 were injured. As Pakistan works to rebuild rural villages and helps the survivors of this catastrophe, it is with the collective help of communities like ours that these rehabilitation efforts have been facilitated and expedited.
Shortly after the earthquake, my fellow Pakistanis and I received calls from many community members as well as from local civic and church organizations in Des Moines wanting to donate warm clothing, sleeping bags and medical supplies, and willing to make financial contributions to help the earthquake victims. Many well-wishers called from other communities such as Pella, Corydon and Carroll, willing to drive to Des Moines to give their donations. Local schools held clothing drives and raised money, and schoolchildren spent hours packaging boxes of clothing after classes. Some children even offered to set up lemonade stands, hoping to make a difference in their own way. By making local relief efforts a priority and by finding ways to help victims in a distant land, what a wonderful message we sent our youth about the importance of global well-being.
The response was so overwhelmingly positive that we considered finding a warehouse in which to temporarily store the warm clothing, which was coming in faster than we could send it. Six months after the earthquake, we still receive calls from individuals and local organizations wanting to do more and looking for opportunities to provide ongoing help. Because of our communityâs caring spirit and generosity, many in the remote villages of Pakistan were able to receive warmth, food and shelter, and it might have saved their lives.
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Relief efforts in Pakistan have now shifted from the more immediate need for clothing and medical supplies to the more long-term building of homes, schools and the reconstruction of entire villages. Being the mother of a young child, I worry most about the thousands of orphaned and amputated children -- the future generation of Pakistan. Children under 18, making up 50 percent of the population, were the most affected by the earthquake. Striking during school hours, the earthquake killed at least 17,000 schoolchildren while destroying more than 10,000 schools. For those children who survived this calamity, the world they once knew ceased to exist in a matter of moments.</b>
As safe shelters and protection centers are secured for orphaned children, as pediatric rehabilitation programs are formalized for those who lost limbs in the disaster, as social workers struggle to provide psychosocial support to these traumatized children and bring some degree of normality to their lives, it is evident that the need for relief and support from communities like ours will be ongoing and tremendous. Whatâs comforting to me is the desire and compassion of those in my community to step up to the plate and help in whatever way they can.
Through this unfortunate tragedy, I have discovered that our community understands the importance of embracing a global vision. We are âworld citizensâ who have looked beyond the walls of our Iowa community in an effort to help those halfway across the world and, together, we HAVE made a difference.
Mashal Husain is manager of business development and strategic planning at Blank Childrenâs Hospital.
PAKISTAN: Confusion over future of quake landless
22 May 2006 16:49:29 GMT
Source: IRIN
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ISLAMABAD, 22 May (IRIN) - A lack of information on assistance for landless quake victims in northern Pakistan remains a major concern, say some survivors of last October's devastating regional earthquake, with confusion over which areas can be built on by returnees and which remain unsafe.</b>
"Every day we are hearing in newspapers and on the radio that our area has been declared a 'Red Zone', meaning it is prone to seismic activity so no reconstruction is allowed," said Muhammad Bashir, a resident of a small hamlet in Balakot valley, 200 km north of the capital, Islamabad.
Bashir said that he needed to reconstruct his house before the monsoon season and the winter that would follow. The problem is he's reluctant to commit what little savings he has to the project until he's sure where he can rebuild.
At the end of March, the quake relief operation moved into the recovery phase in quake-hit northern Pakistan. But seven weeks on reconstruction officials have still not come up with a proper policy for the allocation of land to different categories of internally displaced persons (IDPs) rendered homeless in the 7.6 magnitude quake.
At least 40,000 quake-affected people are currently living in relief camps in parts of Pakistani-administered Kashmir and North West Frontier Province (NWFP), according to the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA). Many say they need clearer information about where they restart their lives before they can leave the camps.
In addition, some 17 villages have been identified as at risk from landslides in the area of Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. The government says another 30,000 to 40,000 people will possibly need to be moved from these vulnerable settlements to relief camps, noted a recent report from the UN Joint Logistics Centre (UNJLC).
In the Pakistani capital ERRA officials are in the process of forming policy over the future of the displaced, but it's taking time.
"The residents of Balakot city cannot return to their property because they are on a fault line. In this case, the government has identified a place for people to be relocated to, but this needs time as well as resources," said Maj Naveed Ahmed from ERRA.
Many displaced from Bagh city in Pakistani-administered Kashmir are waiting for the authorities to come up with specifications for reconstruction. Meanwhile, they wait, forbidden to start constructing new houses until the matter is settled.
PAKISTAN: Activists against institutionalisation of quake children
19 May 2006 12:47:54 GMT
Source: IRIN
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South Asia earthquake
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ISLAMABAD, 19 May (IRIN) - Seven months after a powerful earthquake devastated northern Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, child protection experts have called for a community-based care system for vulnerable children instead of putting them in institutional facilities.
"These [unaccompanied] children are at risk of missing out on essential life skills by growing up in an artificial environment separated from the family and community," Salma Jafar, head of the child protection unit of the UK-based charity, Save the Children, said in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Thursday.
According to a joint assessment by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank, more than 80,000 people - including at least 18,000 children and more than 850 teachers - were killed after a massive 7.6 magnitude earthquake ripped through the region in early October last year.
The survey estimated almost 3,700 schools and colleges were destroyed in Pakistani-administered Kashmir and about 3,984 in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) while children were attending their morning classes.
Most child victims were helped by families. "Extended families accepted these children, making sure they were provided with a shelter and that their survival needs were being met," Jafar explained.
Almost 500 children have been admitted to the governmental and non-governmental institutional care facilities since the earthquake.
While some are raising concerns over the risks of abuse of children being looked after by extended families, Jafar argued that the risks in this case were mostly associated with poverty of the extended families since their homes and livelihoods often had been destroyed in the earthquake.
"We argue against institutional care as the last resort and for the shortest period as it jeopardises the principle of the best interests of the child," the child protection expert said.
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