Punjab Emergency Service Act-2005 approved
Bureau Report

LAHORE—The Punjab cabinet in a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister, Ch Pervaiz Elahi in the chair, here Monday, approved the “Punjab Emergency Service Act-2005” to be tabled in the Punjab Assembly in the next session, aimed at establishing a special body to cope with emergencies created by the road accidents, building collapses, explosions and blazes. The Cabinet also made important decisions regarding relief to the quake-stricken, their rehabilitation and to set up a tentage city for the displaced in Punjab.
Ch Pervaiz Elahi informed the cabinet about the measures taken for relief to the quake affectees by the Punjab government. He said that the provincial government had, so far, spent as much as Rs 1.62 billion on the relief of the affectees.
He expressed satisfaction that apart from the President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the NWFP Chief Minister, the Azad Kashmir President and the Prime Minister had also commended the relief related performance of the Punjab government. Giving details of “Support A Family programme, the Chief Minister reiterated that a large number of philanthropists have contacted him to take part in the programme and it was heartening to note that the number of such people was increasing day by day. Therefore, he added, the government had decided to immediately open up an account of the programme with the National Bank of Pakistan.
Donations could be given to this account both within and outside Pakistan. On this occasion, all the members of the cabinet including the provincial advisors announced to support an affectee family each.
Senior Member Board of Revenue, giving briefing at the meeting, said that as many as 6068 truckloads of various relief goods had, so far, been sent to Azad Kashmir and the NWFP earth-stricken people on the part of the Punjab government. Those trucks comprised 2166 of quilts and blankets, 445 of tents and 378 of drugs. He also pointed out that besides the cash donations and relief goods, the Punjab had also provided manpower for the rehabilitation of the quake-affectees.
He disclosed that at the movement, as many as 800 police officials from Punjab were performing duties in the affected areas. He further disclosed that in order to establish makeshift schools and hospitals, the Kuwait government had been ordered for the supply of 65 large tents, measuring 3000 square feet. Dilating on the Punjab Emergency Act, Ch. Pervaiz Elahi lamented that the system which the present government inherited to cope with the incidents of fire, explosions and accidents etc., was almost worn out.