Quake re-building plan
Hopes pinned to Donors’ meet on 19th November
By Zulfiqar Ahmad

ISLAMABAD—Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and presidents of World Bank and Asian Development Bank have been invited to rehabilitation conference, scheduled for November 19, 2005 at Islamabad.
Briefing the media after Cabinet meeting on rehabilitation, he said that as the assessment of the damages and losses of October 8 killer earthquake would be completed by November 15, therefore, the date for holding the conference on rehabilitation of the earthquake victims had been finalized for November 19, 2005.
The Prime Minister said besides Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General, the presidents of World Bank and Asian development Banks and representatives from across the world had been invited to the rehabilitation moot.
The relief commissioner, Major General Farooq and Chief of Rehabilitation Commission, Lt. General Zubair updated the cabinet and provided detailed briefings on the progress in their areas of responsibilities, he added.
Clarifying that no foreign combat personnel have been deployed in quake hit areas, the premier said that the NATO and US forces, deployed for relief and rehabilitation, were only engineers, doctors or helicopter pilots and crew.
Speaking about providing relief, Shaukat Aziz disclosed that tten thousand rupees per head had been distributed as immediate relief to the sick and injured admitted in PIMS and other hospitals. To secure shelter for the homeless, as an immediate measure, Rs. 25,000 per family was being given to the survivors of the mountainous areas, which would enable them to construct one room accommodation with corrugated sheets and bricks.
To help them, Army civil engineers, masons, volunteer workers and the use of tools and implements would be provided to them, he said. To provide shelter to survivors by November 30, the necessary goods would be fanned out in areas more susceptible to severe weather.
Three lakh additional tents, heavy blankets and bedding were also being procured and would be distributed to the victims before 30th November, he added.
The Prime Minister assured the media that no signs of volcanic activity had been found in Alai, as confirmed by Geological Survey of Pakistan.
Shaukat Aziz also disclosed that he had directed the Ministry of Housing and Works to prepare Building code for future. After obtaining public opinion on the proposed code, it would be put up for legislation, he maintained.
He also disclosed that compensation for the dead as one Lakh rupees per head had been provided to NWFP and AJK governments.
Sponsorship programme had been launched for sponsoring a house, hospital, school, college, university or village, said the PM, adding that adoption of orphans would not be permitted except for government recognized institutions. Regarding Seismic study, the premier brought out that as promised by the Turkish Prime Minister, a Seismic Specialist team from Turkey had arrived in Islamabad and would help establish a modern seismic center in Pakistan.
Regarding fund raising for quake affectees, he informed the newsmen that US President George Bush had nominated five top US businessmen to help raise funds for the rehabilitation of the earthquake victims. The team of businessmen had called the prime minister the night before and would be attending the Rehabilitation Conference on November 19.
He also stated that three artificial limbs centers were being established in Islamabad, Muzaffarabad and NWFP to enable the amputees to be provided with artificial limbs. For the children, different sets would be required to meet the requirement of growth in size and age, he added.
Shuakat Aziz also confirmed that he had asked the entire cabinet and would request the whole nation to observe Eid with austerity and if possible, visit the earthquake victims to share their grief and loss.