November 03, 2006	Friday	Shawwal 10, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: The rehabilitation centre established with much pomp and show for the orphans, widows and destitutes of last year’s killer earthquake near Hattian in Attock district has been closed due to a protracted dispute between the officials of the ministry of social welfare and a non-governmental organisation which ran the centre.

The rehabilitation centre - Ashiana - was closed a few days before Eidul Fitr after the dispute between the ministry and Khubaib Foundation worsened instead of being resolved amicably. Both the ministry and the foundation accused each other of breaching the understanding under which the centre was established.

Ashiana was the brainchild of President gen Pervez Musharraf. The centre was inaugurated with too much fanfare on November 18, 2005 by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan during his visit to the federal capital for attending the donors’ conference along with Gen Musharraf. As the centre housed one of the most vulnerable and traumatised people, it became the centre of attraction and sympathies for everyone. Among its visitors included Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, Cherry Blair, the wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair; princess of Qatar and first lady Sehba Musharraf.

At the time of its opening, there were about 200 children at the centre also called “President’s Initiative for the Rehabilitation of Orphans, Widows and Destitute Women.” Later, the number swelled to about 650.

There were many welfare and philanthropic organisations interested in undertaking responsibility for maintenance of Ashiana. The Khubaib Foundation, having experience in running such centres, was chosen to operate it. A Turkish welfare NGO — IHH — promised to finance all expenses till its existence. It was supposed to function till the inmates were able to stand on their feet.

For this purpose, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the president of Pakistan through the ministry of social welfare and special education and the Khubaib Foundation for the smooth running of the centre. But this MoU was torn to bits even before the completion of one year of the centre due to unnecessary interference by the ministry officials in the affairs of the facility.

According to the MoU, the Khubaib Foundation had agreed to manage Ashiana and take the life-time responsibility and guardianship of the orphans, widows and destitute women at the centre. It established a residential block, a school, hospital, mosque, vocational training centre, children park, playground and offices at the building provided by Wapda.

While the centre was managed by the NGO, officials of the ministry also demanded offices on the premises to supervise the centre.

Soon after its establishment, some controversy arose between the ministry and the foundation and smooth running of the centre became impossible.

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during his visit to the capital provided $500 cash each to about 16 of the orphans. The ministry officials took this money from the children and allegedly did not return it, a spokesman for the foundation alleged. When King Abdullah went back, he sent a Rs86,000 cheque each for about 343 children. These cheques were also taken by the ministry officials and have not been returned so far, the spokesman said.

A few days before Eid, the ministry closed the centre and dispatched all the children to AJK and NWFP governments. About 20 children, whose both parents had perished in the earthquake, are missing, the spokesman said.

Additional secretary ministry of social welfare and special education, M. Noor Saghir Khan said Ashiana was not a permanent organisation so it was closed and the inmates were sent back to their parents and other relatives. He said the closure took place with formal approval from the prime minister.

He denied charges of embezzlements and said the cheques had been given back to the guardians of the children.

However, several of the children and their parents, when contacted, said they had not been provided the cheques so far.

Amna Sohrab, 21, from Bagh whose parents were killed in the quake lived in the centre. She said her cheque for Rs86,000 was taken by the ministry officials and not returned.

A woman from AJK, Bushra, who lost her husband, also remained in the centre along with her two children. She said the names of her two children were present in the list but she had not been provided the cheques sent by King Abdullah.

A spokesman for the Khubaib Foundation said they had spent about Rs40 million on the project. He said the ministry was supposed to provide half of the expenses but so far they had not provided even a single rupee.

The spokesman said they wanted to run the centre till all the victims were able to manage their affairs, but the ministry instead of facilitating and cooperating with the foundation created hurdles in its way. He said a large number of relief goods sent by different donors were still lying in Ashiana and the ministry had locked the centre.

Yaqoob Malik adds from Attock: At the time of its closure, the centre housed 274 people including women and children.

Sources said the differences between the ministry and the NGO surfaced over sharing of funds. An expenditure of Rs25 million was claimed by the NGO for provision of education, health, messing and sanitation facilities to the victims during a period of eight months.

The ministry refused to pay the claim to the NGO and asked the Pakistan Baitul Maal to take over the administrative charge of the centre. The camp was first closed in September and 470 survivors, out of about 600, were taken away by the NGO after a clash with some officials of the ministry. While 115 survivors were handed over to the representatives of the AJK and NWFP governments.

Later, the centre was reopened on a temporary basis when 274 survivors were brought back by the Attock police.