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| November 12, 2005 | Saturday | Shawwal 9, 1426 |
Disaster relief agency to be set up: Aziz
ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: The campaign to register with the National Volunteer Movement got under way on Friday with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz announcing that a ‘Disaster Relief Agency’ would be established to train people for the rescue and relief job to effectively respond to natural calamities.
Addressing the ceremony held to mark the commencement of the campaign, he expressed the hope that with the cooperation of Pakistan Army, UN, NGOs and volunteers the government would be able to provide quick relief to quake victims.
Appreciating the efforts of foreign relief teams, the prime minister said they were working tirelessly in the rehabilitation of the injured.
He paid tribute to the nation for demonstrating ‘tremendous’ volunteerism in the hour of need. He said more than 73,000 people were killed and as many injured in the quake, adding that the entire world had sent relief goods and volunteers’ teams who had established relief camps and hospitals in the affected areas.
He said a task force of psychologists and psychiatrists had been set up to provide counselling to the traumatized quake survivors and train others for the purpose.
Mr Aziz said he would plead the case of Kashmiri people at the 13th Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) summit being held in Dhaka from Saturday.
He pledged that reservations and sentiments of the Kashmiri people would be raised at every forum. He said that by responding to the challenges posed by the Oct 8 earthquake, people of Pakistan had proved that their hearts throbbed with their Kashmiri brethren.
Responding to criticism on the arrival of foreigners in Pakistan, the premier said they were taking part in relief activities with the spirit of humanity which transcended all boundaries. “They are our guests and are here to help us. We should be thankful to them.”
He said more than 60 countries had sent relief workers to Pakistan and added that there were some countries assisting Pakistan with whom Islamabad did not have diplomatic relations.
He regretted that certain elements had started criticizing the decision to launch the national volunteer movement.
He said the government welcomed positive criticism but added that there should be no criticism for the sake of criticism.
The prime minister said that three centres – one each in Islamabad, Muzaffarabad and Mansehra – were being set up to produce artificial limbs for those who had lost limbs in the quake.
AJK President Sardar Muhammad Anwar Khan, on the occasion, praised the government and people of Pakistan for extending help to quake victims and said the volunteer movement would help cope with any situation like the Oct 8 quake. He said the movement should be given legal cover so that it could work on a long-term basis.
He asked Pakistanis as well Kashmiris to get their names registered in the movement.
Earlier, Minister of States for Youth Affairs and chairman of the National Volunteer Movement Muhammad Ali Durrani said the entire nation had the spirit of sacrifice. He said the quake had proved that the nation could meet any challenge.
The registration forms will be available from Saturday in Islamabad, Battagram, Bagh and Muzaffarabad. Every person above eighteen years of age is eligible to register for the volunteer movement.
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