First anniversary of Oct 8 earthquake today

Islamabad—The first anniversary of October 8 deadly earthquake is being observed today (Sunday).
The anniversary will be marked with governments firm resolve to convert the challenge into an opportunity by rebuilding the quake ravaged areas in the NWFP and Azad Kashmir.
Rebuilding of all the houses in the quake-hit areas would be completed by December, 2008 and the ERRA has been given a target to reconstruct eighty percent of infrastructure including educational institutions, health facilities, roads and government buildings using quake resistant technologies by 2009.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz addressing a function at PM House hold to honour those who helped Pakistan in relief and rehabilitation process on the first anniversary of Oct 8 announced on Saturday that the government has decided to set up National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to deal with the natural disasters like earthquake.
The Prime Minister said NDMA will coordinate with all the departments, provincial governments and other agencies to have organised relief and rescue operations in case of any emergency.
The Prime Minister said last year, due to lack of such an authority, the country faced some difficulties initially to tackle the situation following the October 8, earthquake, but Pakistan later on learnt the experience with launching one of the biggest ever relief and rescue operations.
Shaukat Aziz told the representatives of the international donors, that Pakistan’s experience to tackle the disaster of earthquake has been appreciated by the world and international organizations including Untied Nations.
The Prime Minister said with the help of NDMA, there would be more coordination and cooperation in the relief operation in case of any future natural disaster.
Shaukat Aziz appreciating the cooperation and support of the domestic and international donors said the government is committed to restore normal life of the people in the earthquake hit areas.
The Prime Minister said it was a great challenge for the government which was achieved with the support of international donors.
The reception was attended by President Pakistan Muslim League Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, Secretary General PML Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman ERRA Altaf Salim, Federal Minister for Information Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Senator Tariq Azeem Khan, Minister for Health Nasir Khan, Minister for Population Welfare Chaudhry Shahbaz, ambassadors of donor countries, representatives of United Nations, EU and other international organizations, doctors and other staff of the city hospitals who provided medical treatment to the injured people.
The Prime Minister said the government has approved an emergency allocation of Rs. 3 billion for early payment of housing subsidy to the affected people of the quake struck areas.
Thanking the donors for their contribution according to the pledges, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that the shortfall of $800 million needed for reconstruction of the houses, would also be fulfilled.
The Prime Minister said it is gratifying to note that as many as 90 per cent people have left tents and moved to their ancestral areas and are living in transitional housing which in many cases are better than the ones they were living in before the earthquake.
He said all educational institutions, hospitals, clinics, BHUs are functional in make-shift temporary premises while all offices, banks, schools are working, roads and services are operational and markets are back in business.
In a TV message on the first anniversary of the October 8 earthquake, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Saturday the government is satisfied with its relief and rescue operations carried out in the affected areas of NWFP and AJK and has now launched a massive programme of reconstruction to revive the normal life there.
He said that the government would not leave behind any one in the affected areas and continue the determined efforts for rehabilitation of each and every person.
The Prime Minister said the disaster last year had devastated towns and villages spreading over an area of 30,000 square kilometres, causing over 73,000 deaths, injuring tens of thousands and affecting 3.5 million households.
Shaukat Aziz said after the immense tragedy some time was needed to revive to normal life and assured that the government would continue its efforts to fully achieve the goal.
The Prime Minister said the government has the resources to provide help and assistance to the affected people.
He said he had conducted over 50 visits to various affected areas and personally knew about the problems of the people.
The Prime Minister said with the cooperation and close coordination among local governments, AJK and NWFP government, federal government and NGOs, the relief and rehabilitation process was going on successfully.
With the completion of one year of devastating earthquake on Sunday Government of Pakistan has decided to observe October 8, as commemoration day while there will be no holiday on this occasion.
It was stated in a statement issued on Saturday that the day would be observed with pledge that no negligence would be tolerated in rehabilitation of quake survivors as well as reconstruction of quake devastated areas.
Chief Secretaries of four provinces, Azad Jammu Kashmir and Federally Administrated Tribal Areas have been directed to sound siren at 8:49 am on Sunday (today) while the people of the country would observe one-minute silence at 8:50 am in the memory of those killed in the earthquake on October 8, 2005.
The day would dawn with special prayers at mosques for the full recovery of those who were disabled during devastated October 8, 2005 earthquake.
Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz are scheduled to spend the whole day (today) among the quake-affected people to express their sympathy and hearten them that the entire nation shares their grief.
President General Pervez Musharraf would spend his whole day in Muzaffarabad, Chakothi, Ghari Habib Ullah and Mansehra and would distribute gifts among the children and women. He would also inspect the reconstruction work underway in the quake zone.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would visit quake-hit areas of Batgram, Dadar and Bagh to express his sympathy to the affected people.
Meanwhile ceremonies would be held in Muzaffarabad and other affected cities, which would be addressed by President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.
The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority would brief both President and Prime Minister about the rehabilitation and reconstruction in the quake-hit areas—Agencies