October 25, 2005	Tuesday	Ramzan 20, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 24: Opposition Leader in the Senate and a central leader of People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Raza Rabbani has criticized the government for allowing the Nato forces to take part in the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims without taking parliament into confidence.

Talking to Dawn after visiting Muzaffarabad here on Monday, the PPP leader said there was no harm in inviting the Nato forces to Pakistan, if the decision had the backing of parliament.

Mr Rabbani said one failed to understand the logic of Nato, which had earlier refused to supply relief goods to Pakistan but readily agreed to send 1,000 troops to Azad Kashmir.

Moreover, he said, it was strange for the government to have accepted the Nato forces because since the quake disaster the nation had been given to understand that Pakistan Army had been mobilised and it had sufficient manpower in terms of engineers and doctors to meet the crisis.

“What has necessitated the government to allow the Nato forces?” he asked, adding that the decision would have a far- reaching impact. He said the opposition would also move an adjournment motion to discuss the issue in the Senate.

Mr Rabbani said he had just visited Muzaffarabad city with the Leader of Opposition in the AJK Assembly to review the situation there.

He praised the role of civil society, particularly the working class, who despite price-hike and other financial constraints donated their salaries for their quake- affected brethren.

Mr Rabbani expressed deep concern over a report of the Unicef that there was danger of about 10,000 deaths among children because of unavailability of aid in certain areas.

“It is disturbing to read a report in the Sunday Times stating that those children who have survived are being targeted by various gangs and being used for prostitution or beggary,” he said, adding that it was the duty of the government to act immediately to crack down on such groups.

The PPP leader said it was unfortunate that the federal relief commissioner in his briefing had stated that some seriously injured people had been sent abroad for treatment, but he was not in a position to tell their exact numbers.

The federal health minister on the other hand had stated that there was no need to send any person for treatment abroad as all facilities were available in the country, he said.

“It appears that the government itself has not been able to put its act together. We demand that the factual position in this regard be placed before the nation,” he said.

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