Contribution of national, Int’l organizations in relief efforts lauded
By Busrha Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The Senate Standing Committee on Social Welfare and Special Education, which met in the Parliament House here on Saturday with Senator Dr Mrs Nighat Agha in the chair has appreciated the contribution of national and international organizations in rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in earthquake affected areas
The Committee suggested that there should be coordination in these activities to ensure proper and timely relief to the victims of this national catastrophe. The Committee made this observation while having a briefing on the Social Welfare projects being planned and executed for the earthquake victims of NWFP and AJK.
Mr Noor Saghir Khan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education informed the committee that immediately after the unfortunate incident, the Ministry constituted two teams, one for Mansehra and the other for Muzafrabad to help relief and rehabilitation operation for quake affectees in collaboration with UNICEF.
These teams are preparing database of affected children/women on the basis of which short term/long term plans would be chalked out for their rehabilitation on permanent footing.
Giving a brief overview of the services provided by the Ministry and the organizations working under it, he said that 260 children are registered in Mansehra and 1000 in AJK for providing child friendly spaces in three different camps located at Basian near Balakot, Boys college Balakot and Garhi Habibullah.
A vocational training center for affected women was also established at Basian, Balakot having the capacity to train 700 women. Linkages were built between UN agencies, local political leadership and international NGOs to provide assistance to the victims.
The members of the committee were of the view that the issue concerning the rescue, relief and rehabilitation were of critical nature and that the window of time available was not only short but shrinking day by day. It was suggested that registration of children and women affected by the earthquake should be carried out on war footings and the ministry of should come out with a plan to attract donors from foreign countries willing to donate limbs.
The Committee recommended that centers should be set up for trauma treatment of women and children. It also suggested that more vocational centers should be set up besides setting up of senior citizens homes. Pakistan Baitul Mall was advised to allocate more funds for providing medicines to the poor and needy patients. There was general consensus that the Government functionaries, the NGOs and general public should move faster to alleviate the difficulties of the victims.
The members of the committee lauded the role of print and electronic media for highlighting the post quake scenario. It was suggested that a film highlighting the miseries of the deadly earthquake victim be prepared and telecast on different TV channels with a view to generate funds for rehabilitating the affectees.
The meeting was attended beside chairperson of the committee Dr Mrs Nighat Agha, by senator Naeem Hussain Chatta, Mrs Tanveer Khalid, Maulana Samee ul Haq, Farhatullah Khan Babar and Mms Saadia Abbasi. R Noor Saghir Khan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education Brigadier Sarfraz MD Pakistan Baitul Mall and senior officers of the ministry and its attached departments were also present.