KARACHI, Oct 8: Speakers at a function urged the government to prepare a comprehensive disaster response plan to enable the authorities to move swiftly and act effectively to save life and property of the affected people in the wake of a natural calamity.

They were expressed their views at the launching of a book titled: Portraits of Grief and of Hope, authored by Nizamuddin Siddiqui, at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.

They said that not only such a plan be prepared, but periodic rehearsals should also be conducted to ensure that everyone involved in relief and rescue work was fully trained and skilled in the task assigned to him.

The book, reflecting the miseries experienced by the victims of the Oct 8, 2005 earthquake that devastated vast territories in the northern areas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the NWFP, assesses the relief and rehabilitation work undertaken by various government and non-governmental organisations, as well as individuals.

The launching coincided with the first anniversary of one of the worst disasters in the history of Pakistan which, according to official figures, claimed more than 73,000 lives and left hundreds of thousands of others injured. It flattened or partially damaged over half a million residential and other structures in the affected areas, rendering several million people homeless.

The speakers stressed on more efforts and assistance by the government to restore the infrastructure, including road network, schools, hospitals, sources of safe drinking water, sanitation, etc., in the affected areas.

A development activist and a former bureaucrat, Tasneem Siddiqui, observed that while the civil society organisations and people in general gave a quick response to the distress call after the quake, the government’s response appeared lethargic. Resultantly, he pointed out, sufferings of the millions of survivors could not have been mitigated even one year after the disaster hit the country.

Had the local people and organisations been involved in the rehabilitation process, the cost of reconstruction would have been a friction of what has been quoted. He was critical of the approach and performance of the international NGOs which, according to him, wasted more than 50 per cent of the aid received for the relief and rehabilitation on meeting the overheads, like procuring and using luxurious vehicles and offices.

Husain Bin Khamis, in his critical review of the book, pointed out that the collapsed Maraghala Towers of Islamabad had not been included in the book. Though the occupants of this residential complex appeared comparatively well off, they were also victims of the disaster, he observed, and suggested that some maps of the affected areas should have also been published in the book.

Author Nizamuddin Siddiqui said that the government was spending around Rs250,000 on the reconstruction of a house which required no less than Rs900,000 if constructed according to the approved plan. How a victim could generate the remaining amount was not known. And he would not get the government money if the construction plan was not approved.

Faisal Edhi said that the relief workers came from all sections of the society and they worked without any consideration of caste, creed and religion. He also praised the nation for extending donation generously. However, he criticised certain elements, especially traders and transporters, who tried to make millions out of the sudden increase in demand for essential items, even shrouds and food, and for the transport means.

Dr Asif Farrukhi and Dr Shershah Syed were among others who spoke at the function, conducted by Prof Tauseef Ahmad.

The Urdu translation of the 145-page book would be published soon, announced the author.