January 4, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 3, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 3: Former city nazim and the Central Relief Coordinator of the Al-Khidmat Welfare Society Niamatullah Khan on Tuesday said survivors of the October 2005 earthquake were on the verge of another catastrophe as improper shelter had exposed destitute people to intense cold in the Himalayan region of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the NWFP.

He said that long spells of snowfall and rain proved to be a new test for the devastated people in the quake-hit regions.

“Shelter homes had been made from substandard material due to the criminal negligence of concern officials. As a result, many people especially women and children have been exposed to cold,” he told a press conference at the Idara Noor-i-Haq.

Mr Niamat, who was speaking after returning from a six-day visit to the affected areas, claimed that 11 people had succumbed to harsh winter up till now.

He demanded the government to disclose how much amount pledged by the international community in the International Donor’s Conference for earthquake victims had actually been provided to the country and to what extent had it been consumed for providing shelter and rehabilitation to the affected people.

He said the Neelum Valley and adjacent areas were cut off from Muzaffarabad due to seven feet of snowfall. The affected people were once again looking to the Karachiites for assistance in the shape of warm clothes, blankets, quilts, etc, he said.

Mr Niamat said he surveyed two districts of the NWFP – Mansehra and Battagram between Dec 26-30, 2005, adding that they (Al-Khidmat) had established 23 workshops for free-of-cost preparation of material for shelter homes.

He said the Al-Khidmat was the biggest institution in Pakistan after the army with more than 10,000 volunteers who were carrying out relief activities in the affected areas.

The government-made shelter homes were not enough and more was needed to be done, he said, adding that the Jamaat-i-Islami’s welfare organization had arranged mass sacrifices on Eidul Azha. He said the procurement of animals for purpose was under way.

He appealed to people to donate their sacrifices to the quake-affected people.

The JI, he said, had set up 60 camps at various locations in Karachi for collecting donations, he said. A share in sacrifice of a cow would cost Rs2,500 while it was Rs5,000 for a goat.—PPI