PM invites ARD, MMA to APC
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—In order to muster consensus over relief and rehabilitation process of earthquake affectees, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Friday extended invitation to ARD and MMA for attending President’s All Parties Conference. When the National Assembly resumed its proceedings on Friday, Prime Minister went to ARD Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim and MMA Secretary General Maulana Fazlur Rehman seats and discussed with them the situation after October 8 killer earthquake. They also deliberated relief and rehabilitation process.
Prime Minister asked ARD and MMA leaders to come forward and help government in relief and rehabilitation process of earthquake affectees to save people from more problems. We are having a race against time and opposition should stand with government at this critical juncture of the history and attend APC, which will be convened soon, he added. Maulana Fazalur Rehman and Makhdoom Amin Fahim told the premier that they will discuss the situation with other leaders of their respective alliances and will try to create a consensus on a single platform.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Friday said the death toll from October 8 earthquake has crossed 55,000 while the number of injured has risen to 78,881. Pakistan is hosting a conference of international donors on November 18, the Prime Minister told reporters at his chamber in the Parliament House.
He said contributions from inside the country for the quake victims so far amount to Rs. 5.2 billion while pledges worth 1.7 billion have been received from the world. Many countries including Saudi Arabia and United States have started special fund-raising campaigns, he said, adding that the Saudi government has collected over 150 million Riyals so far.
The Prime Minister said efforts were being made to overcome the shortage of tents in the affected areas and more than 300,000 tents would reach Pakistan before the end of November. He said 30,000 tents were being airlifted from Saudi Arabia through the cooperation of Saudi Airlines which has established an “air bridge” to transport these tents to Pakistan as early as possible. Referring to gigantic task of rehabilitation and reconstruction work, Shaukat Aziz said corrugated galvanized iron sheets and financial assistance would be provided to the people to repair their houses in the quake-hit areas. He said the CGI sheets would be light in weight and earthquake proof and added that the supply of tents to the affected families would continue alongside the provision of CGI sheets.
Replying to a question, the Prime Minister said the opposition’s apprehensions regarding the presence of NATO forces in Pakistan were baseless as only engineers and doctors from NATO were here to help in rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the affected areas. Shaukat Aziz said the government is in touch with opposition leaders to convene an All Parties Conference on the quake disaster and related issues.
About transparency in spending on rehabilitation and reconstruction, the Prime Minister assured that there would be total transparency in the disbursement of the funds. He said recently he distributed cheques among the victims in Mansehra and the committee consisting of DCO, MNAs, MPAs, officials from revenue department and Pakistan Army had finalized the list of the victims.
The Prime Minister especially lauded the services being rendered by Pakistan Army in the rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the quake affected areas. Shaukat Aziz said geophysical survey of the affected areas is being conducted and ongoing assessment of the losses be completed by November 15.
He said schools are being opened and special tents are being provided for reviving the educational facilities in the quake affected areas. He said 250 such tents have been dispatched to Azad Kashmir and 200 to NWFP. Appreciating the contribution of NGOs, both from Pakistan and aborad, the Prime Minister said a conference of NGOs will be held very soon to thank them and to have more coordination in their relief operations.
The Prime Minister said Saudi Arabia is constructing 100-bed hospital in Balakot while UAE is setting up similar facility in Muzaffarabad, while Contractors Association is building a hospital in Rawalakot. Referring to his visit to Moscow, the Prime Minister said he met with many leaders there and they assured more help and assistance to Pakistan in this hour of need.