FEDERAL Cabinet on Thursday announced that it had decided to establish tent villages and tent cities to provide immediate and basic shelters to those who lost their houses in the earthquake. The announcement came Thursday evening adding that government would also establish model cities in the quake hit areas and the building laws would be toughened further.
The Daily Mail had suggested the idea of establishing Tent Villages and tent Cities not only in the quake-hit areas but also at Rawalpindi and Islamabad. In the editorial and in letters written to the President and the Prime Minister by the Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Mail, it was suggested that the tent villages in affected areas be established under the Army supervision and all the affected people be first brought to these tent villages where their data be prepared and they be provided all aid according to the prepared data to make the relief organized and effective indeed. It was also suggested that at Rawalpindi and Islamabad, these Tent-Cities be established district-wise, on the pattern of Tableeghi Ijtima’s tent villages. Here also a complete data be maintained and those who get release from the hospital be brought to these tent villages or tent cities, in the concerned district blocks. This would also help their dear and near ones to reach them, particularly those who are arriving from outside the country. The suggestion further indicated that such an arrangement would be highly beneficial to both the government and the quake- affected people for their ultimate rehabilitation and repatriation to their respective areas. The Daily Mail is thankful to Federal Government for paying attention to this suggestion.
The Daily Mail here forwards another suggestion that government must get foreign help to prepare pre-fabricated cheap houses for the quake affected people. These houses can be established just within a period of 48 just hours and does not cost much. These are established through readymade kits and available in China and many other countries. Government must approach the relevant governments and private entrepreneurs of these countries so that appropriate, temporary living facilities be provided to the affected people until concrete houses for them are made, which may take some ten months to one year’s time.

Call to face tragedy with courage

PRESIDENT Pervez Musharraf s address to the nation over Radio and TV on Wednesday night, five days after the killer earthquake shook the nation and ripped through northern parts of Pakistan and adjoining Azad Kashmir leaving behind massive devastation, gave us hope and strength to face the tragedy. His analysis of what happened, what response was made indicating the apparent delay in reaching out to the survivors to start rescue and relief operations was down-to-earth. He paid rich tributes to the spontaneous response the public, the armed forces and the international community gave to the crying need for assistance in the worst affected areas. He rightly commended the courage demonstrated by the rescuers in pulling out thousands of persons trapped under the debris of houses, schools and other buildings which had crumbled across the worst hit areas, particularly in Hazara Division of Frontier province and Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Bagh Districts of Azad Kashmir. According to him over 23,000 were killed arid some 50,000 persons including women and children were injured. He apprehended the number of casualties would mount once full information is made available from inaccessible and remote areas.
No doubt, the public outpouring of sympathy and support is overwhelming. It is indeed heartening to note that regardless of political affiliations, the entire nation is united and is coming out to help the needy. The dead can not return bait those who have survived must be enabled to rebuild their shattered lives. Their immediate need is food, shelter and medical care. In the short term, the President observed, the survivors need tents as their houses are no more liveable having been mostly reduced to rubble. With the Mercury touching freezing point at a number of places and rains having intensified the bitter cold, the survivors who are languishing in the open desperately require tents .The survivors would continue to need food and medicines for quite some time. The people should not relent in their efforts to sustain them. However, the firs few days have witnessed chaos and confusion. Some places are over-supplied while survivors at remote areas have even no water to rink. This is due to absence of coordination. The President disclosed that the authorities are obtaining satellite images of remote villages scattered all over the devastated region. The armed forces -two Divisions- have moved into Mansehra area and Azad Kashmir where already stationed troops have also suffered heavy casualties. Some 450 soldiers including Army officers and AMC doctors have been killed and 750 others injured in the earthquake. After restoring road links between Murree and Azad Kashmir and Mansehra and Muzaffarabad, which has taken about three days, the transportation of relief supplies has started in full swing. At this point, we need coordination and thankfully Army has been assigned this task. The NGOs and private agencies and individuals desirous of distributing supplies to affected areas have been rightly advised to co-ordinate their efforts with the Army units in the area to ensure full results of their noble endeavour.
The President has observed that the National Security Council at its meeting also attended by Frontier Prince Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has decided to set up an Authority to undertake rehabilitation work for which massive funds are required. The people of Pakistan have already done enough but much more assistance will be needed. The international community is also increasing its aid. The US Secretary of State came over to Pakistan to personally sympathise with the leadership and the people and to assure more assistance. All of us should for a while forget politics. The nation needs unity and courage and to channelise its help through an organized system. The President has assured the people and donors that transparency in relief and rehabilitation operations shall be ensured. The President has given hope and promise for a better life to those who have survived this calamity.