The National Assembly in a resolution on Tuesday condoled with earthquake victims and urged the world community to extend financial and technical assistance for the rescue of thousands of men, women and children in Mansehra, Balakot, Azad Kashmir and elsewhere.
The House unanimously passed a resolution bearing signatures of parliamentary leaders of the ruling coalition and opposition.
The resolution called for quick rehabilitation of the quake-hit people, prayed for the departed souls and sympathised with the bereaved families.
"The House urges the world community to provide financial and technical assistance so that more and more lives could be saved," the resolution said.
Earlier, members from Treasury and Opposition spoke on various aspects of the tragedy and the on-going rescue and relief operations.
They were particularly harsh towards contractors who built the government buildings in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. Almost all government buildings in Mansehra, Abbottabad and Azad Kashmir were partially damaged or had fallen flat, killing thousands of students.
The legislators called for thorough investigation into this tragic disaster, and stringent punishment to those who used substandard construction material.
Some MNAs said that the House should form committees to visit the most affected areas to monitor rescue operations there and report back to the Assembly.
PML MNA Farooq Amjad Mir said that the rescue and relief operation must be carried out on war-footing as after two months roads and mountains would be covered with snow, making it almost impossible to continue such activities on a fast pace.
"It is a serious matter that the government buildings had collapsed. We must also reflect the catastrophe may be a result of forced oath taking early this month for the cast of votes in the last phase of the local bodies polls," he said. He pledged to give his annual development fund for the quake victims.
Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians leader Aitzaz Ahsan said that the United States and the Muslim countries were not doing enough to help alleviate sufferings of the quake victims.
"Is it the reward for blindly toeing the US line even at the cost of national interests? The Islamic countries could easily have contributed more," he said.
He proposed that the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (Saarc) member countries should sign an agreement to help each other in case of such tragedies besetting any of them in future.
He questioned government's logic in refusing Indian offer of helicopters for relief operations, saying that it would have saved many.
Aitzaz also proposed that donation of one-month salary was not enough. Keeping in mind the magnitude of the tragedy, each member of the House should surrender annual development allocations for his constituency to the relief fund, he added.
Health Minister M Naseer Khan told the House that the biggest challenge at hand was to provide medical treatment to over 42,000 injured persons, and access to those who were trapped in cut off areas was another big task.
The minister said that the government was focusing on opening of roads and already some key road links had been restored, boosting relief activities. He said it was not the time to unleash criticism, but to save more and more people in the quake-struck areas.
The government's priority was to look after the injured, rehabilitate the homeless and arrange adequate funds for this purpose.
In this connection, he welcomed the proposal that the members should donate the development fund for the affected families.
He said that Indian health minister had phoned him and offered assistance which, Naseer said, was declined with thanks. "We appreciate your offer and would contact you if we needed assistance," he replied he said.
The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed paid tributes to the nation for rising to the occasion and lending a helping hand to the government.
"Can't we forge unity without such a natural disaster. We need to shun the past and collectively face future challenges," he added.
He asked what was the reason for not taking on board opposition leaders while President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz visited the affected areas.
He complained that NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani was not allowed to use a helicopter to visit the affected areas. Even the governor did not let him accompany him during his visit. "Is this the response to opposition's positive gestures," he asked.
PPPP's Naheed Khan called for establishment of an effective and vibrant crisis management cell, saying that handling of the situation after the quake hit the country had exposed the ability thereon.
She assailed the traders and transporters who were fleecing people and selling goods and services on increased rates. "Coffin that is normally available at Rs 140 is being sold at Rs 250," she said.
She pointed out that what the governments had done after it was established that Islamabad, parts of NWFP and Azad Kashmir were in the seismic zone.
Mehnaz Rafi of PML and MMA's Gul Rehman hailed the media's role in the given situation and called for a probe into the devastation of educational institutions.
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