ISLAMABAD, Feb 3: Federal Relief Commissioner Major General Farooq Ahmad Khan has said the US relief contingent will start withdrawal from Pakistan in March. Speaking at a press briefing here on Friday, he said the withdrawal will be preceded by thinning out of the United States disaster relief mission this month.
He said the US will close its medical facility in Shinkiari on Feb 23, where more such facilities now exist. The other elements of the US disaster relief team will start leaving Pakistan in March.
Gen Farooq said the United States has handed over a forward area re-fuelling point but will keep on cooperating with Pakistan in the aviation area, the need for which would be assessed through a deep analysis.
There is no set programme for packing up the tent villages, as no one can be forced to leave the place under the prevailing circumstances.
He, however, said the people will have to go to their native towns to get the amount for reconstruction of their houses through banks.
The priority is being given to reopening of blocked roads and supplying necessities to the quake survivors in NWFP and AJK and essential items are being sent to survivors through snow vehicles donated by Norwegian Red Cross, he said.
He said other priorities included continuing building of one room shelter out of rubble, winterization of tent dwellings including provision of stoves and preventing winter related diseases in the affected areas and deployment of lady doctors in far flung areas.
He pointed out that a total of 22,114 sorties have been flown to quake hit areas so far carrying relief goods.
The relief commissioner said over Rs19 billion have been distributed among quake survivors.
Maj-Gen Farooq said 94 tent villages have been established accommodating about 90,000 people in AJK. In NWFP 527 tent villages have been established accommodating about 155,000.
He said 311,000 shelters have been set up. These include about 158,000 by NGOs. Work is in progress for construction of about 32,000 more shelters for the affected people.
He said 1.14 million CGI sheets have been delivered free of cost to the affected people to help them reconstruct their houses while about 88,000 more sheets are on their way to the affected areas.
