Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed says the world community has responded positively on the call of President Pervez Musharraf and assured full support to Donors Conference for relief and rehabilitation of earthquake victims.
"This moot would be a mega event and help Pakistan to cope the October 8 devastating earthquake. We need lot of money for relief and rehabilitation of the victims besides reconstruction of affected areas," minister said while talking to reporters during his visit to Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) on fund raising for the President's Earthquake Relief Fund (PRF).
Various government functionaries and political leaders accompanied him. RCCI leadership has announced rupees 2.5 million for PRF.
Minister criticised the role of opposition saying opposition should adopt reasonable attitude at the hour of crisis and left politics to some other time. Opposition, he said was lacking the knowledge regarding parliamentary norms and they should move a single question in the National Assembly to seek account of the PRF.
"Every thing is transparent in present situation and there is no chance of any misuse and misappropriation of the funds of PRF", he said adding government would itself bring that account in the parliament.
Responding to a question about Karachi bomb explosion, Sheikh Rasheed said many people had been arrested and two of them were very important. "We will bring everything in the notice of people but it will take time." He added law enforcement agencies had worked effectively and brought the culprits involved in terrorist activities to task.
Earlier, addressing the senior executives of the RCCI, Sheikh Rasheed said whole nation was passing through the trauma of earthquake; and the unity and solidarity shown by people was source of encouragement.
"Every individual particularly traders' community has responded positively and donated wholeheartedly for the victims", he added.
He said the government needed huge money for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected people. "It is for the first time that I came to you with the hope that the chamber would play its role at this hour", he added.
"We would encourage the cash donations to make sure that this would be spent at right place", he said adding that President was given free hand for the expenditures of the PRF and he was right person to spend it in a transparent manner.
He stressed the need of prudent measures by industrialists of Rawalpindi and said they would help reduce unemployment and poverty of the area once they come forward. "Business community has failed to establish industry in Rawalpindi and it is high time for traders to establish industry", he further said he would play his effective role in mobilising business community and resolve all their problems.
He said the chamber had added to the prestige and honour of Rawalpindi besides resolving various social problems. He assured chamber leadership government would help them in the establishment of industrial estate.
Speaking on the occasion RCCI President Jalil Malik said the chamber had played its role and served their affected brethren in AJK and NWFP. "We have distributed goods worth more than 25 million, besides medicines and other commodities", he added.
He announced Rs 2.5 million for the PRF saying that every member of the chamber was giving individually and on different platforms.
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