Relief too little, too late, says Opposition
By Uzma Zafar

ISLAMABAD—The National Assembly on Tuesday urged the international community to come to the aid of victims of Pakistan’s worst ever natural disaster in which thousands have lost their lives. It was `private members day’ but the routine business of the house was suspended to let the elected representatives express their concern and make suggestions for the rescue operation.
Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said helicopters are most urgently needed to carry out rescue operation, shift aid and ferry the injured. “There should be atleast 500 helicopters hovering above all the time taking supplies and shifting injured to the hospitals,” he said. He said the United States should provide Pakistan with more helicopters for these operations as it has only provided eight of them which is insufficient. He said the government should also start planning for the influx of huge number of displaced people from AJK to the bigger cities in Pakistan.
The PPPP MNA from Lahore suggested that the SAARC countries should enter into a Crisis Management agreement to help the member countries in similar tragedies. He said the standard of construction should be monitored very strictly and those not conforming to the set standards punished. Aitzaz also suggested that the development funds allocated for every member of the National Assembly should be diverted towards the relief operation. “In order to make sure that the money is spent properly, a monitoring committee comprising the government and the opposition members of the house should be formed,” he added.
Minister for Health Muhammad Nasir Khan thanked the opposition for supporting the government in its efforts to provide relief to the victims of earthquake. Replying to the criticism of Aitzaz for not accepting India’s offer of helicopters,he said there were 36 helicopters already operating in the worst affected areas. “Basic communication is through roads on which heavy trucks can move and provide relief goods to the affected people,” he added. Nasir said France will also provide helicopters to Pakistan for the relief operation.
He said in view of the public inconvenience, the President arrived at PIMS on helicopter and during an earlier visit traffic was only stopped for five minutes. Nasir said he has asked women parliamentarians to visit the far off areas in AJK to provide counselling to the women who have lost their kids or dear ones. The crisis management which Aitzaz referred to, he added, comes in the second phase of relief operation. “At present our priority is to rescue as many as possible from under the rubble”.
Terming the situation following the earthquake grave, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the entire nation has to demonstrate courage and patience to cope with the disaster. He, however said so far the nation has played an appreciative role during the crisis. Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the people are contributing food items and medicines for assistance of quake victims. He said alongside the rescue and search operation, the burial of decomposed corpses will be a difficult task.
Expressing the need of crisis management, he said the members of parliament should be deputed at various places to assist the relief operation. Farooq Amjad Mir said the entire nation has been facing the calamity with courage and the role of armed forces is unique. As far as VVIP movement is concerned, he said the visits of President and Prime Minister motivated the rescue teams to improve their performance. He stressed the need of taking short, medium and long term measures to deal with the situation.
Farooq Amjad Mir announced to divert development funds of his constituency to the relief fund. Ms. Naheed Khan said the area where earthquake occurred has been declared seismic zone. She demanded to increase number of helicopters and other transportation means to conduct the rescue operation in a better way. Naheed Khan said the parliamentarians should visit the affected area and set up relief camps in the most affected areas.
Karachi and coastal areas have also been declared as seismic zone and preventive measures should be taken, she added. She said cooked food should be airdropped in the affected area in bid to save precious lives. Expressing his sorrow and grief, Qari Gul Rehman, a member of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal said the entire nation is grieved over this incident that has caused massive devastation in the country. The entire nation is with the affected people and extending financial and practical help to them, he said.
Appreciating role of media, he said it has played a important role in this difficult time and reached every affected area where government buildings, houses, schools, hospitals were destroyed by this natural calamity. He said it is a national tragedy and the way opposition and treasury benches were expressing solidarity for rescue and relief of quake victims is commendable. Mehnaz Rafi appreciated the opening of relief fund by the National Assembly and said there is a need of setting-up a relief camp in the national assembly premises. “Our party has also set up a relief fund and asked parliamentarians to donate generously as people in affected areas need medicines, blankets and tents and we should extend them our all out support,” she added.
She said the situation in the affected areas is grave and there is a need to mobilize all resources to assist the victims. Mehnaz Rafi said there is also need of establishing crisis centre to meet with an emergency situation. Abdul Qadir Khanzada termed the earthquake a national disaster and a test for the entire nation. He said a lot of people are still under the rubble and the need is to pull them out immediately. He proposed there is also need to prepare a national strategy to meet such situations in the future.