January 14, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 13, 1426

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MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 13: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday reiterated Pakistan’s desire for a peaceful settlement of the long-running Kashmir dispute as he toured the devastated AJK capital to express solidarity with the earthquake-stricken people.

“We want a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with the wishes of the Kashmiri people,” he said while speaking to the quake survivors at Thuri camp.

“The voice of the Kashmiri people cannot be suppressed and their sacrifices will win them their right to self-determination,” added the premier who was accompanied by his wife, three federal ministers and the federal relief commissioner.

On the subject of reconstruction and rehabilitation, he said the government was working on a comprehensive plan whereby all facilities and assistance would be provided to the quake-hit people to help them resume normal life.

He said the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority would provide designs and guidelines to help the people build quake-resistant structures.

Mr Aziz said the government would try to start the reconstruction process as early as possible once the weather conditions started improving.

Earlier, officials informed the prime minister that nearly 80 per cent of the affected people in the area had been given the first instalment of compensation amount and over 100,000 shelters had been constructed for the displaced survivors.

The premier stressed the need for creating income generation opportunities for the quake victims to help them earn a respectable livelihood.

He praised the entire nation for standing up to the enormous challenge posed by the devastating earthquake, saying every home across the country had been turned into a relief facility and people went out of their way to help their suffering brethren.

The Pakistani nation stood by their Kashmiri brethren in their hour of need and would continue to support them in coping with the devastating effects of the worst ever natural disaster in the area’s history, he said. He thanked the international community for its generous support and said an overwhelming response by international donors at the Nov 19 conference reflected success of Pakistan’s foreign policy and its growing stature in the comity of nations.

He particularly lauded foreign aid workers for staying away from their near and dear ones to volunteer for the greater cause of humanity.

The prime minister and his spouse distributed Eid gifts among women and children besides enquiring from them about the facilities being provided to them.

Later, the premier visited the US mobile surgical hospital in front of the AJK assembly and met its officials and patients.

The hospital had so far taken care of 14,000 patients, performed nearly 400 major surgeries and also treated another 4,000 people under its outreach programme, he was told in a briefing.

He appreciated critical medical support provided by the field hospital and signed a banner reading “Thank you for all your help.”