ISLAMABAD, Nov 6: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that relief efforts will not be ignored even after the commencement of the challenging phase of reconstruction.
He was talking to newsmen on Sunday after visiting a relief camp established by the Capital Development Authority at Sports Complex in collaboration with an NGO, Bali Medical Care. On his arrival, the prime minister was received by Minister of State for Interior Senator Shahzad Wasim.
He expressed the confidence that every quake-stricken person would get some kind of shelter by the end of this month.
Mr Aziz, who met the affected people during his day-long visit to Muzaffarabad and Bagh, said the people were quite satisfied with the scheme being implemented to enable them to repair or reconstruct their houses with a financial assistance of Rs25,000.
He said most people were not ready to leave their ancestral lands and wanted to rebuild their houses at old sites.
The prime minister said the governments of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir “have been directed to ensure supply of food” to the affected people. The resources for the purpose would be provided by the federal government but the two governments will have to manage them in close cooperation with elected representatives.
He said the federal government was working with the NWFP and AJK governments for the registration of the quake-stricken people in a transparent manner.
He said the earthquake struck all of a sudden and nothing could have been planned to deal with it. He, however, assured that no effort will be spared in providing relief to the victims, even though the precious lives lost could not be brought back.
Mr Aziz said construction activities in the affected areas would gain momentum during the next few months.
Replying to a question, he said the world community had already pledged over two billion dollars worth of assistance and the situation would further improve following donors’ conference to be held on Nov 19.
Earlier, addressing children, patients and their relatives at the camp, the prime minister said Turkey and Britain “have been approached for provision of state-of-the-art technology for local development of artificial limbs”.
He said the government would provide all necessary resources to ensure that amputees again lead a normal life.
Mr Aziz said during his visits to camps of the affected people in Muzaffarabad and Bagh, he was impressed to see people’s spirit of sacrifice. He pointed out that people representing all segments of society, including political leaders, workers and artists, spent their Eid day with people in distress.
At the Sports Complex camp, injured children narrated to the premier what they had seen on October 8 and praised Pakistani people for demonstrating unprecedented solidarity with them during this difficult period.
Talking to newsmen after Eid prayers at H-11 tented village here, Mr Aziz said the entire nation and the government were determined to resettle and rehabilitate the earthquake victims.
He expressed solidarity with quake survivors and said “we share the grief of victims”.
The prime minister said the entire nation had shown resilience and demonstrated unity from Karachi to Khyber “which is a source of strength”. He added that “with this strength, Inshallah, we will soon overcome the difficult situation”.
He said the catastrophe had uprooted many families. He said a lot of work had been done for relief and rehabilitation and a lot more needed to be done. He said that rehabilitation and reconstruction of the quake-battered areas “is a major task and will take a long time”.
He said we have to work hard with honesty and sincerity to overcome this difficult situation.
“We are celebrating Eid with a heavy heart. There is an atmosphere of caring and sharing in the country,” he remarked.
He took round of the tented village and distributed Eid gifts among the quake survivors. About 8,000 of them are living in the H-11 facility.
