MQM resumes relief operations after Prime Minister's assurance

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), which had announced suspension of its relief work in earthquake-hit areas of NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) early Wednesday following attacks on its camps and firing incidents, resumed their work later in the day after "assurances of protection" from Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and high civil and military administration.
Announcing this in London, MQM Convenor Dr Imran Farooq said that the prime minister held a "detailed conversation" on telephone with MQM leader Altaf Hussain and assured protection to the relief workers.
High civil and military officials also gave similar assurances. AJK Auqaf and Religious Affairs Minister Hafiz Ahmed Raza also held talks with Altaf Hussain and appealed him to resume relief operation.
He said that the AJK minister condemned "atrocities of Jamaat-i-Islami".
"Having considered appeal of the prime minister, civil and military administration and above all the people of affected areas of AJK and NWFP, the MQM and Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation has decided to resume relief activities," Imran Farooq said, adding that the decision had been ratified by Altaf Hussain.
MQM, which had withdrawn its doctors, volunteers, paramedical staff and workers to Islamabad in protest against vandalism, ordered them to resume their work in the affected areas.
Imran Farooq said: "We hope assurances given to us would be honoured and no one would be allowed to take law into their own hand and people working round-the-clock in difficult conditions would be able to continue their assignment in an atmosphere of safety."
He said after decision to close down relief activities, MQM received hundreds and hundreds of phone calls and messages from the people of AJK, NWFP, from across the country and abroad expressing their shock and concern at vandalism and incidents of terrorism by Jamaat-i-Islami workers and appealed to MQM to resume its operation.
He said the party had sent aid material worth Rs 1.5 billion. It sent 50,000 blankets from the US and arranging large number of blankets from China now.
He regretted that Jamaat-i-Islami, which started work in the quake-affected areas after three weeks of tragedy, looted medicines and other relief material from the MQM camps, uprooted these camps, beat up its workers, insulted and humiliated the victims in Muzaffarabad and other areas.