Re: Pakistan Army - We’re proud of you!
In just a few days after the quake.
Two Army divisions deployed in affected areas
Two divisions of the Pakistan Army — one each in Azad Kashmir and Mansehra — have been deployed to accelerate the pace of rescue and relief activities in quake-hit areas, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Tuesday. “In addition, several brigades are also being deployed in earthquake affected areas to carry out relief work and provide food and other support to the people,” the prime minister said, while addressing a press conference at the Prime Minister Secretariat. Minister of State for Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani, Chairman Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission and Federal Relief Commissioner Maj-Gen Farooq Ahmed and Director-General ISPR Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan were also present. The prime minister said the purpose of major redeployment of troops is to spread them in each and every affected area, including the remote villages. He added that 100 or so troops would be stationed after every 10 kilometres to reach out to all the affected people. He said that approximately 23,000 people had died and 51,000 injured. “These include 432 Army personnel, who lost their lives and 709 injured,” he added. The prime minister, controlling his emotions while detailing the casualties, said the number of casualties might be higher as reports are gathered from remote areas. “We are in phase of damage assessment and it could increase,” he added. Asked about estimates of the people rendered homeless, he said, according to initial estimates, about 2.5 million people have become homeless and provision of shelter for them is one of the major challenges ahead. Giving details of donations from international and local community, the prime minister said the foreign financial pledges have crossed $300 million and more is pledged while domestic contributions were to the tune of Rs 600 million in first two days. “Our top most priority for the financial assistance is food, tents, blankets, medicines and medical equipment,” he said, thanking people of Pakistan and the international community for overwhelming response to the appeal for assistance. The prime minister said in addition to the existing hospitals, 14 field hospitals have also been established in the affected areas. “These include six by the Army and eight by foreign medical teams while six more field hospitals are being set up in these areas,” he said, adding that in addition 11 foreign medical teams are also assisting in various areas. The prime minister said the Health Ministry has prepared a plan for spray in the affected-areas after retrieval and burial of bodies. He added the federal government on Tuesday released Rs 500 million each for Azad Kashmir and NWFP governments to enable them expedite relief activities. He said the relief commissioners are also being appointed in the four provinces and Azad Kashmir to coordinate the relief and reconstruction activities. He said the government, through active cooperation of the people, is mobilising all resources to reach out to the victims. Shaukat said that major roads in the affected areas, including Kohala-Muzaffarabad and Mansehra-Muzaffarabad, had opened. Similarly, he said, access to Balakot has also been restored and work is in progress to rehabilitate other roads. “Now dozens of trucks are going to the affected areas daily to distribute relief goods there,” he added.
The prime minister said that several satellite PCOs would become operational in the affected areas on Wednesday and a number of multinational companies had offered provision of satellite phones for use in the affected areas. He said 35 to 40 helicopters are engaged in the operation. “Now that the roads to major cities have been restored, the helicopters would be used to carry relief goods to the inaccessible and remote areas,” he said. About reconstruction phase, the prime minister said in the short-term there would be temporary repair and opening up of the areas followed by medium-term plans of rehabilitation of roads, government buildings, schools, hospitals, powers and water supplies and telecom services. About MMA President Qazi Hussain Ahmed’s offer of cooperation, he appreciated the gesture and welcomed offers of all the opposition parties. Regarding the Indian offer for financial assistance, he said Pakistan has no problem in accepting the offer.
APP adds: Aziz said 15 specialised international rescue teams and 11 foreign medical teams were operating in different affected areas. He said that Muzaffarabad and Balakot were the worst hit major cities, while hundreds of villages were destroyed. He said the Army had recovered 40 children from the collapsed school building in Balakot and they have been shifted to the field hospital. Responding to a question, he said there was no need for redeployment of troops from their positions along the Pak-Afghan border, as there were plenty of Army personnel in the affected areas. He said the major damage occurred in Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir and in Balakot, Mansehra, Batgram and Abbottabad in the NWFP. “Devastation is at its extreme in Balakot, large parts of Muzaffarabad have been severely damaged while settlements and villages around these towns have also been severely hit.” The prime minister said the relief and later reconstruction and rehabilitation works are “mammoth challenges” facing the government. “But we are determined and moving ahead with full vigour and the entire government machinery is working round the clock to help the people,” he added. Shaukat said the rehabilitation of the children who lost their parents was a major task ahead and measures were being taken in this regard. “The trauma aspect of the affected people is very serious for those who lost loved ones and their whole life’s earnings, but we will share their pain and sorrow,” he said.
http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/oct2005-daily/12-10-2005/main/main4.htm