President recounts quake rebuilding success

MUZAFFARABAD—President General Pervez Musharraf Monday said the earthquake challenge had been converted into an opportunity by rebuilding the lives of earthquake-affected people on modern lines in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and the NWFP. Talking to media after inaugurating the Jalalabad Park in Muzaffarabad, the President said better houses, state-of-the-art infrastructure including road network, healthcare facilities and educational institutions were being reconstructed in the quake-affected areas.
President Musharraf said the United Nations and other international organisations had termed Pakistan’s efforts for the reconstruction of quake-devastated areas better as compared to the efforts carried out in the aftermath of Katrina and Tsunami. The President said the whole nation deserves commendation as it was galvanised in the wake of the earthquake tragedy and reached out to the earthquake victims.
Earlier in Mansehra this morning, the President performed the ground-breaking ceremony of 65 kilometres long Naran Balakot road which was destroyed in the earthquake. The road would cost Rs 2.3 billion. Later, the President inaugurated a secondary school at Chitta Watta near Mansehra to be constructed by the Turkish government.
President Musharraf lauded the efforts of Turkish government and its vital assistance in the reconstruction phase. The President said the nation showed unmatched resolve and determination to meet the challenge of earthquake tragedy and termed it highly commendable.
The President said those elements who painted a dooms day scenario in the wake of the natural calamity must come and see the reconstruction efforts in the area where earthquake resistant houses, modern healthcare and educational facilities and infrastructure were being constructed.
The President said with resolve and determination, the government has converted the earthquake tragedy into an opportunity.
The second anniversary of deadly earthquake of October 8, 2005 was observed throughout Azad Kashmir on Monday as a day of mourning and to pray for the rest of the departed souls of the martyred in eternal peace and to express complete solidarity and sympathies of the survivals of the history’s most worst natural catastrophe.
The anniversary was marked as the National Disaster awareness Day and the `Day to firmness and determination for reconstruction - in memory of earthquake martyrs’ coupled with special prayers for the rest of the departed souls of the quake victims in eternal peace and to express complete solidarity and sympathies with the survivors of the history’s most worst natural catastrophe.
Special ceremonies were held in all small and major towns in the memory of the martyrs of the devastating quake which left over 73,000 people dead and lakhs of others injured in NWFP and Azad Kashmir. Fateha was offered for the martyrs and sirens were blown at 8:52 a.m. and two minutes silence was observed. It was a state holiday today throughout AJK.
The day was observed not only to pay glorious tributes to the martyrs of the killer earthquake and the early rehabilitation of the other quake victims but also to raise awareness among the masses as how to deal and face any natural catastrophe with patience and all other required practical means.
In Mirpur, a ceremony to observe the second anniversary of the earthquake was held at the District Council hall under the auspices of National Events Organising Committee with the coordination of the Zila Council here Monday morning. Chairman National Events Organizing Committee and Deputy Commissioner Fiyaz Ali Abbasi chaired the ceremony. Whereas ex health minister of AJK Arshad Mahmood Ghazi was the chief guest on this occasion.—Agencies