Qazi holds junta liable for miseries of quake-hit people

LAHORE: MMA president and ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Qazi Hussain Ahmad has held the military junta responsible for the all out mess prevalent in the quake-hit areas even after passage of one year of the earthquake.
He demanded of the government to present report about the receipts in president’s earthquake relief fund before the public accounts committee of the national assembly so that elected representatives could ascertain the genuineness of various disbursements made out from the fund. "Neat and clean fame of the armed forces is the past story now as this institution is no more an exception vis-à-vis wide spread complaints of corruption in the society."
He was addressing a press conference at Lahore Press Club on Sunday. The JI naib ameer and chairman Al-Khidmat Liaqat Baloch, Secretary General Syed Ehsanullah Waqas and other officials of the Al-Khidmat Pakistan were present on this occasion.
Qazi Hussain Ahmad pointed out that the JI volunteers carried out relief operations in the inaccessible remote areas in the affected areas where even government relief teams failed to reach despite every technical support and help. He deplored that due to lack of transparency and ill-planning on the part of government, the quake-hit people are seen protesting in the federal capital to castigate the government’s ineptness to redress their grievances.
He said the government’s tall claims of relocating Balakot to new place and reconstruction of the demolished homes in the earthquake hit areas could not see light of the day. Qazi lauded the role of Pakistan Engineers’ Forum and Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) who provided specialized help and cooperation to zealous JI volunteers in the quake-hit areas. He said when many local and foreign NGOs have wrapped up their operations in the affected areas but Al-Khidmat field hospitals and schools are still operational in the affected areas.
Qazi said at a time when he is addressing press conference here in provincial metropolis the chief of Al-Khidmat Relief Operation and former city Nazim Karachi Niamatullah Khan is visiting the camps of Al-Khidmat to review the situation of relief work.
The JI, Qazi said, has been commemorating the Oct 8, as Sympathy Day to express solidarity with the earthquake-hit people because they are still in need of great help. He called upon the people to revive the spirit of sacrifice and spending in the way of Allah as they demonstrated soon after the earthquake.
He appealed for generous donations of the people so that Al-Khidmat rehabilitation operations for the year 2007 could be completed ahead of severe winter in the AJK and parts of NWFP.
Later, Al-Khidmat chairman Liaqat Baloch presented detail report about the foundation relief and rehabilitation operation conducted during the past one year. He said the foundation had set up two orphanage houses for girls and boys in Islamabad and Attock. He demanded the appointment of neat and clean people to head the ERRA otherwise confidence of the people and donors could not be restored in this institution.
Liaqat Baloch deplored the government is eulogizing the "efforts" of sham kind of NGOs and awarding them medals against the merit. He said ERRA should have presented its report before the elected represented but nothing of this kind materialized as the institution is answerable to General Musharraf only.