Pak officials storing tents, claims HRW
Although people around the country are supporting the earthquake victims with full dedication, commitment and honesty, there are black sheep amongst as well who do not hestitate in stealing the kaffan from their fellow muslim brothers and sisters, removing jewellery and valuables from the dead and stealing the relief goods.
There was an incident reported earlier in the News and now
New York-based Human Rights Watch issued a statement accusing civilian authorities, working under military supervision, of storing tents and other needed relief goods at a supply depot in Muzaffarabad.
Pakistani officials at the scene told the organization it was being done “so that they would be able to avoid problems when senior military and civilian officials demand supplies that otherwise would not be available,” the group’s statement said.
One official said he would be fired if he gave out tents, the group added.
“Tents are the difference between life and death,” said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch.
“It is essential for the public to know that aid is being handled in a non-arbitrary, non-discriminatory manner.”
But Pakistan’s chief army spokesman, Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan, rejected what he called “a totally baseless and wrong report.”
“At present there is no need to store, and there is no place to store these things, which we desperately need at this point in time to save tens of thousands of people rendered homeless due to the massive destruction,” he said.
Sultan said relief goods were being received and then distributed to forward bases in affected regions, where quake survivors could obtain them.
“Now we are trying to regulate more effectively the relief, which was disbursed in the first phase in chaotic conditions,” he said.
Also denying the charge, Liaquat Hussain, deputy commissioner of Muzaffarabad, said the civil government had set up a registration system for relief goods coming through official channels.
He indicated that Human Rights Watch may have misunderstood what it saw.
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October 25th, 2005 at 8:18 pm
this is is the same complaint we are getting in lahore.individuals arrived from as far as jaglarri near bagh and were looking to buy tents and blankets etc for relatives who are refusing to leave these remote vilages.the system of delivery has to be somehow organised so that aid can now move to these remote villages.
in balakot on our visit on 19 october we were informed by a political person who was handling the area that he had two crores worth of medicines and enough ration for a year and half to feed the people in balakot.(these were being kept to give to the desrving as needed..what the criteria was going to be was not elaborated.)only requirement was tents, one truckload with 50 to 100 tents arrived that day and were distributed in balakot that day.
we distributed 50 tents in a village between ooghi and battel named saluna.it had 96 houses loss of life 20 persons.but all the houses were badly damaged.families were huddled in makeshift tents which were inadequate for the winter months.more tents have been ordred for delivery to saluna for the remaining households.the village was approachable on foot. villagers carried their own tents back.slips had been issued and were rtrieved on delivery.
we distributed 30 tents to another village tamai matokar in battagram, off the main road.it was accessible on foot.our aim is to target these villages and possibly jaglarri in bagh for relief.we are a citizens voluntary support group from lahore
hope this info can be shared thank you.
October 25th, 2005 at 9:26 pm
Just one thing to say, if poeple all around the country are so active to give relief funds through different representative group to the survivors of earthquake then what is the problem with government. why govt is so lazy to provide funds to needy peoples even after getting funds in million dollars from the world.and if govt utilizes all those funds i think we can overcome this misery condition.
October 27th, 2005 at 8:27 am
1.We are having 16 X 16 Double Fly Shouldarie 1000 Nos Price 15200/- Per Set FOB at Wagha Border
2.We are having 75 Nos Big Size Tent Size 15 M X 6 M
CAn help for Storage Hospital Community Centre Price
43000/- Per Tent FOB Wagha Border
For any Further Details Call 919336107540 PAnkaj Agarwal