ISLAMABAD, Oct 12: An extraordinary meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) held here on Wednesday decided to put into use ‘all national resources’ to carry out the mammoth task of rescue and relief in areas affected by Saturday’s deadly earthquake.

The meeting also decided to set up an ‘Earthquake Rehabilitation Authority’ to work as a dedicated organization to oversee rehabilitation of the affected areas on modern lines and to enable the affected people to stand up on their own feet.

The meeting presided over by President Pervez Musharraf approved short- and long-term strategies for reconstruction and rehabilitation work.

The short-term strategy includes stepping up relief operations, establishing relief camps, epidemic control, infrastructure rehabilitation and life support measures and restoration of roads and communication links.

The long-term steps will include restoration of civic amenities and rehabilitation of civil administration measures.

The NSC assessed the scale of devastation and the extent of relief efforts made in the aftermath of the quake.

The meeting also discussed steps needed for large-scale rebuilding and rehabilitation of the devastated people.

Chief Minister NWFP Akram Khan Durrani attended the NSC meeting for the first time. Later, he told reporters that he had attended the meeting with the approval of the Supreme Council of the MMA and that Maulana Fazlur Rehman wanted him to be at the meeting.

The president welcomed Mr Durrani and said that his participation was a correct decision.

The meeting offered Fateha for people who lost their lives in the quake and prayed to Almighty Allah to grant courage to the bereaved families.

The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other members of the council. Azad Kashmir’s president and prime minister also attended the meeting on special invitation.

The president stressed that besides ongoing relief activities, the work of rehabilitation of the victims and reconstruction of infrastructure should be carried out. Rebuilding should be done in such a way that minimum losses were incurred in such calamities in future.

He appreciated the spirit of the nation and the manner it responded to the natural disaster. He said the people of Pakistan had shown remarkable unity, solidarity and spirit and collectively responded to the massive tragedy by contributing generously to relief operations and also volunteering to supplement government’s efforts.

Responding to the request of the NWFP chief minister the president instructed that relief goods should be air-dropped in inaccessible areas in the province in a few hours.

The AJK prime minister and NWFP chief minister briefed the meeting on the extent of damage caused by the quake. They thanked the government and the armed forces for the prompt measures taken by them to help the affected people.

At the request of the AJK prime minister and the NWFP chief minister, the prime minister issued instructions for release of Rs2 billion to the AJK and Rs1 billion to the NWFP for relief activities.

Mr Aziz told the meeting that the international community had moved quickly to extend assistance to Pakistan and so far the country had been pledged $360 million for relief work.

The meeting was also briefed on the task and planning of the Federal Relief Commission, which had been asked to coordinate and relief operations with all national agencies, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and aid coming from foreign countries.

Federal Relief Commissioner Major General Farooq Ahmed Khan outlined the short- and long-term strategies for relief and rehabilitation and rebuilding operations.