Call for big role in relief body for opposition
Staff Report

ISLAMABAD—The Member of Briton’s House of Lords, Lord Nazir Ahmad has asked the government of Pakistan to let the opposition share the chair of relief committees so as to win the satisfaction of the later otherwise the donor agencies and countries would back out of pledges they made for relief funds due to the cut throat allegations of the opposition.
Expressing his concern over the chairing of relief committees by treasury members, Lord Nazir said that heads of the reconstruction committees should not only be from government but also from opposition parties. “Entrusting the administration of Relief Committees in the hands of Military Generals in the presence of democratic government is no appreciable step”, he noted.
He noted that Generals should not be heads of these committee but opposition members be given greater role to play. He suggested to constitute an accountability committee comprising of Government, opposition, NGOs and representatives of donor countries to maintain transparency of the relief funds.
He also stressed that donor countries want a transparent relief distribution system, which would enhance the confidence of donors. “Therefore Government must provide data of the all expenditures on Internet to facilitate the donor countries to gauge the transparency of relief funds”, he noted. Lord Nazir expressed these views while addressing Rawalpindi/Islamabad Press club here on Sunday. He said that UK was the second biggest donor after USA.
Referring to Pak-India relations in the wake of post quake devastations, Lord Nazir said that both President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claim to be friend of each other and speak in the same tone but, unfortunately, despite their friendship, mobile service in the quake hit areas has not been initiated.
Responding to a query about the presence of NATO forces in AJK, Lord Nazir said that NATO forces came to participate only in the reconstruction works and nothing beyond it adding that If USA has other motives, and then its ‘bases’ are already present in Pakistan. He also lauded the services of Islamic Relief (IR) during the rescue, relief and reconstruction process during quake. “Political parties also worked to their greater extent, he added.
Referring to the opening of Line Of Control (LOC) after October 8 quake, he said that opening of LOC is mere a show off and has no link to the interests of Kashmiri people saying it is a result of western pressures.