ISLAMABAD, Oct 27: The aid workers and the general public have criticized the long Eid holidays announced by the government, saying it would affect the relief operation on which lives of countless number of quake survivors were depending.

The government has announced three-day Eid holidays, which would then be joined by a weekend to make a package of four-day vacation.

Relief workers have appealed to the government to reduce the number of holidays. They said a four-day break could not be afforded in the relief operation already falling behind the time.

A senior official at a public university, Col J.I. Ghazi, said announcement of 3-4 Eid holidays would divert the nation’s attention from relief operations.

He said: “Let us, as a nation, not give any impression to our quake-affected brethren in the NWFP and Azad Kashmir that we forgot them even for a single day.”

“How can we even think of enjoying and relaxing during Eid holidays when millions of earthquake-stricken people are starving and awaiting medical aid and shelter in cold weather,” he added.—Staff Reporter