ISLAMABAD, Dec 3: The government has decided in principle that its rehabilitation plan for quake-hit people of Azad Kashmir would not involve any relocation and those who had lost their homes would receive shelters in their respective areas, a federal minister said on Saturday.
Speaking at a news briefing following a marathon meeting on relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation in Azad Kashmir, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat said the road-map for reconstruction would be designed in light of the seismic survey reports prepared by experts from China, Turkey, Japan and Italy.
One of the survey reports is expected to be submitted by the end of the month, according to the minister, who is also coordinator for relief and reconstruction in Azad Kashmir. Other reports suggesting safe places for reconstruction would be given sometime next month, he said.
The minister said the meeting had decided that no relocation would be made and in case shelters were to be built in earthquake-prone areas, only those structures would be erected which had a capacity to withstand the quake.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (ERRA) Lt Col Zaheeruddin Babar, chief coordinator, Federal Relief Commission (FRC) Mr Saeed Ahmad Khan, advisor to the AJK Prime Minister, Raja Muhammad Farooq Haider, president of the AJK Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Arshad Mahmood Mughal, Maqbool War, President District Bar Association, Muzaffarabad, President Press Club, Bagh, Tahir Abbasi, leaders of the mainstream political and religious parties of Azad Kashmir and AJK council members.
Mr Hayat said there was a consensus in the meeting that rehabilitation of the affected people should remain a top priority. The minister said relief activities in Azad Kashmir would continue for another about four to five months.
He dispelled an impression that the relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation activities were completely under the Pakistan Army. He said the mandate of the FRC was limited, while the ERRA was answerable to a council headed by the prime minister. He said the council also included the prime minister of Azad Kashmir, NWFP’s chief minister, adviser to the prime minister on economic affairs, federal minister for Kashmir affairs and heads of ERRA and FRC.
In reply to a question, he said people were benefiting from the five crossing points opened on the Line of Control (LoC). But the minister said that unlike Pakistan, which issued clearance to intending travellers within 48 hours, New Delhi was taking time to clear the lists prepared by it.
He said Pakistan wanted to enable Kashmiris from both sides of the divide to go across the LoC without any travel document, but India had some reservations on it.
