Relief centres on the LoC
By Zahida Parveen
Comment

AT LONG last, India has decided to 'open three centres on LOC to help Pakistanis' The locations of the centres, mentioned in the press report, are Aman Setu (Uri), chakan da bagh (Poonch) and Teetwal (Tenghdar), reports a local English Daily. The newspaper, in the same issue reports, (Yaseen) Malik lauds Musharraf's proposals on LoC. Apparently, India's decision relates to President's Musharraf's initiative.
India's offer is a pleasant surprise. However, the fact is that not only Pak civilian and military doctors but also the NATO has already established mobile hospitals in the Azad Kashmir. Medicare of the survivors is no longer the major problem, now. Right now, there is crying need of weather-resistant tents. That Pakistan needs. Why not India sends us what we need. We accepted India's earlier consignment of relief goods with deep-felt gratitude. Already, Musharraf has declared Pakistan a visa-free country for anyone who wants to get us relief goods. Our prime minister has repeatedly said, 'We need tents, tents and tents'.
The cold weather has set in. Some areas have received heavy rainfall. Snowfall is expected in the next few days. The people squatting in the open under the sky need shelter.
India's offer is, if anything sardonic. The affected people in the Indian-occupied Kashmir clamoured for tents. The Indian supplied them shamianas and qanats, used for temporary seating of marriage parties. As a result, there have been protests in the occupied part of the Jammu and Kashmir state.
Even India's National Human Rights Commission, funded by the Central Government, has criticised Indian government's apathetic attitude. India's prestigious weekly 'Political Events' (Quake-hit Kashmir cries out for better relief efforts, 20 October 2005, page13- 14) reports '…the state officials complained of acute shortage of quality tents that could ward off chill. Most of the tents being sent are those used in marriage pandals and not those meant for cold places'. The reports adds 'Shortage of tents for victims has forced them to live in the open as their houses have been totally damaged'.
The report reflects how apathetic Indian army is to the plight of the people_ 'The problem according to the army personnel was that people were not prepared to share space in large tents, but preferred smaller tents for the use of smaller families. The weekly observes '…even after a week, since the disaster, relief measures have been inadequate and some of the far-flung areas are yet to see enough food and water. Politicians have been active as usual more interested in going before the cameras of the TV channels than overseeing relief and rescue efforts. Uri, Tanghdar and Baramullla are some of the worst hit areas…Congress ministers are independently distributing relief stopping NGO vehicles, taking over material sent…Locals have charged the relief is going to the electoral strongholds of the ministers’.
Interestingly, even the Indian media has lauded role of Pakistan's armed forces in rushing relief goods and medical aid to the needly. Avid readers may read Base of operations in Frontline, Oct. 22 - Nov. 04, 2005. Extracts: 'At the Chaklala airbase, relief goods being loaded onto a helicopter. THIS correspondent has been based in Islamabad for the past five years. Thanks to the India-Pakistan hostilities, Indian journalists have to function under tremendous restraints. Rawalpindi, 16 km from the national capital, is out of bounds for them. Home to the headquarters of the Pakistan military, Rawalpindi is considered as the number one cantonment town of the country. The Chaklala airfield within its vicinity is one of the prime bases of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), and an Indian journalist can go anywhere near it at the risk of being jailed as a spy. Local journalists get an occasional glimpse of the place from a safe distance during the ceremonial arrival of very important persons (VIPs) from abroad. The earthquake has changed it all. Within hours of the quake, the PAF vacated the base and paved the way for what could perhaps become the largest-ever international disaster relief centre in one place. Aircraft in all sizes carrying relief have been landing there since October 8. On day three, the sprawling base was packed with helicopters, international aid workers and relief materials flown in from all corners of the world. At one stage, incoming aircraft had to turn back for lack of space… With choppers parked back to back and with relief materials dumped all over the huge premises, the air base resembled a wholesale vegetable and fruit market, at least during the first few days.The Pakistan military has opened up the complex for the hordes of visiting international journalists, aid workers and others involved in the gigantic rescue and relief work. The place is bustling with activity round the clock.… The officers, who usually maintain a stiff upper lip, are doing a remarkable job. The military has also been liberal in allowing journalists and relief workers to roam around the complex. "It is difficult to believe that we are running like chickens on a military base," said Qnuc Gevik, editor of The Anatolian from Turkey…The 50-odd helicopters, mainly of Pakistan Army Aviation, flew over 900 sorties during the first eight days, rescuing over 6,000 injured people and transporting tonnes of relief items. In the first phase, 10 MI-17 helicopters of the PAF undertook rescue operations. Subsequently, the aviation effort was reinforced with more helicopters, raising their total number to 31. Later, eight U.S., four German and four Afghan helicopters joined them'.