November 04, 2008	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 5, 1429

QUETTA, Nov 3: Thousands of people in some parts of Pishin and Harnai districts, who had been rendered homeless by last week’s earthquake, are still waiting for relief and shelter, particularly tents to save them from the freezing weather.

Hundreds of houses were destroyed in Khanozai, Gawal, Khushub and Zargoon union councils of Pishin.

“We are forced to live in the open because our houses have collapsed,” Malik Sarwar Panizai, an elder of Gawal union council, told Dawn on Monday. He claimed that out of 210 houses in his area, 190 were completely destroyed and the others were damaged.

This correspondent was informed that people in other three union councils have not received any relief so far although the officials concerned have been informed about their plight.

Some people in Khanozai and Gawal complained that although they had received letters from the International Committee for Red Cross about supply of tents and other goods, the district authorities had not taken any action.

“We need tents immediately to save our families from cold,” said Taj Mohammad of Zargoon union council.

A large number of people from Harnai district staged a demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club demanding relief.

Around 900 houses were destroyed in Torshor, Shaban and other areas of Harnai district, said Abdul Ali.

Balochistan Minister for Inter-provincial Coordination Dr Ruqaiya Hashmi also said that these areas had been devastated and the people had not received any relief.

“Around 5,000 to 6,000 people were affected in these four union councils but they had not received any help,” Dr Hashmi told Dawn after visiting the affected areas.

She said the government should immediately provide tents, warm clothes, blankets and foodstuff to these people.

The minister suggested that construction of houses in the earthquake-hit areas should be included in the Prime Minister’s hosing scheme.

Official sources said that around 1,000 people were rendered homeless in Pishin because only two villages had been affected in the district and teams of Army and Frontier Corps were providing relief.

“Only 20 families were affected in the district,” a senior official of the provincial government said.

He said that around 1,200 tents, blankets, warm clothes and other relief goods had been sent to these areas.