PM unveils quake rehabilitation plan
By Uzma Zafar

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Monday expressing his deepest condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the devastating earthquake said the government would ensure early rehabilitation of the affectees and announced 12-point strategy plan for this purpose.
Chairing a special meeting of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council here at Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the Prime Minister said the government was committed for early rehabilitation of the affected people.
The Prime Minister said he had issued special directives to all the concerned departments and agencies involved in relief, recovery and reconstruction phases to focus on the early rehabilitation of the people.
Explaining his 12-point strategy plan for reconstruction and rehabilitation, the Prime Minister said there is a need to shift survivors from rubles to tents and decent transitional shelters as quickly as possible. Ultimately they would move towards construction of model cities for permanent settlement of homeless people.
He said there is need to identify overlaps and gaps in relief to impacted areas, regulate private, foreign and public sector relief goods and services and fill the gaps.
The Prime Minister directed to gear up medical and trauma treatment for the injured and arrange for transitional schools, hospitals and other public offices to restore the government structure.
Shaukat Aziz further explaining the 12-point strategy plan directed the concerned authorities and departments to prepare reconstruction plan for the impacted areas including full restoration of infrastructure, setting priorities, coordinating support at ground level and implementation of the plan in more accountable and transparent manner.
The Prime Minister said the elected representatives should be involved in the preparation of reconstruction plan for the affected people.
He said the concerned departments have been directed to prepare effective plans entailing damage assessment, permanent shelter and housing programmes, credit and other livelihood programmes, and funding for cash-for-work programmes to help speed the move from tents to more permanent communities.
The Prime Minister said there is need to plan for restoring the livelihoods of the survivors with financing of new economic activities to raise family incomes above their pre-earthquake level and increase the capacity of local government, non-governmental organizations and businessmen to undertake the reconstruction efforts.
He said estimate of financial resource requirements should be prepared besides identifying the gaps. He directed the concerned departments to devise a reporting system to ensure that donations are being used appropriately to show what the country had achieved and what remains to be done.
The Prime Minister directed the concerned departments to formulate a joint action plan detailing precisely who will do what, where and when to avoid duplication of efforts, and to ensure efficient use of resources and leave no person or community behind.
Shaukat Aziz also directed to prepare model action plan for disaster preparedness and coordinating a coherent response to future disasters as well as crisis including reinforced preventive measures and capacity for emergency response.
The Prime Minister said jobs for the local people affected in the earthquake, should be encouraged in the reconstruction through vocational training as thousands
of masons, wood-workers, supervisors and labourers are needed.
Referring to the devastation due to earthquake, the Prime Minister said the road ahead will be long and hard due to the difficult and enormity of the task.
He said the entire recovery and rehabilitation operation could take five to ten years requiring over dollars 5.0 billion.
Shaukat Aziz said “while we are overwhelmed by the assistance offered by the international community, they need to sustain the commitment to help the earthquake victims from their sufferings and to rebuild their homes and their lives”.
The Prime Minister said the people of Pakistan and government stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in this difficult hour and assured full support in the reconstruction process.
Shaukat Aziz said the immediate priority of the government is to open roads, hospitals, schools and other buildings.
The Prime Minister appreciating international support to Pakistan for the help of earthquake victims said the government has asked the friendly countries to provide technical assistance in reconstruction.
The Prime Minister the earthquake of October 8 was one of the worst natural disaster in Pakistan’s history and more than 39,000 lives have been lost so far, many remained missing and the exact number of victims will probably never be known.
He said over three million people have lost their homes and livelihoods.
Shaukat Aziz said the catastrophe has galvanized the nation in a spirit of common humanity to provide succour to their fellow citizens in their hour of need.
Appreciating the response of people, the Prime Minister said they responded as one nation with an immense, spontaneous outpouring of compassion and generosity, on a scale never witnessed before. The Prime Minister said the participation of the people and their enthusiasm is a source of strength for the government. He said the people must know that they are not alone.
Shaukat Aziz said, “we are also greatly encouraged by the resilience of the people in disaster stricken areas”.
The Prime Minister said a tragedy of this magnitude requires a long-term commitment of resources to rebuild the shattered communities and provide some hope to the survivors.
He said the federal government provided leadership in the aftermath of earthquake and mounted largest relief effort ever.
He said the uniformed personnel, police, civil authorities, doctors and nurses, volunteers are doing their utmost despite many constraints. He said they are providing relief, carrying out search and rescue operations, doing forensic work to help identify the victims.
The Prime Minister said this rapid response yielded substantial dividends and widespread starvation was avoided and there were no epidemics.
He said Federal Relief Commissioner is coordinating and keeping track of all the activities that are underpay for rescue and relief operation while Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority will coordinate the damage and needs assessment as well as reconstruction in a transparent manner.