An Italian ship RO-RO is expected to arrive here from Italy to disembark 1800 tonnes of material and vehicles provided by the Italian team for the rescue needs of the October 8 earthquake affected population and the reconstruction of the infrastructures of the Bagh area.
Addressing a press briefing at the Italian Consulate on Monday, Consul General Bruno A Pasquino said that the Italian government was directly involved in the Indus Operation, a major initiative for the assistance to the quake victims, in response to a specific request from Pakistan.
He said that this operation is part of the humanitarian effort Italy is offering to Pakistan within the framework of the international relief action in the quake-affected areas, to which Italy is one of the largest contributors.
Pasquino said it was only on Sunday that he along with the Pak military authorities received at the Karachi International Airport first batch of the Italian engineer corps, 41 members, who would operate within the Indus operation. At the end of the deployment, the entire Italian group will amount to 260 men, based at Bagh.
The Italian engineers and technicians with the help of the Pakistani authorities, the Nato co-ordination structure in Lisbon as well as the United Nations will contribute to the restoration of the road system, the clearing-out of the debris, the setting up of camps for the homeless population, the reconstruction of water distribution system.
Lieutenant Colonel Giulio Biot guides the Italian team. It has different branches such as advanced logistics, communication support and health assistance.
The Italian CG said over 140 vehicles as well as technical equipment of the engineer corps will be deployed in the area by the Italian team. The entire deployment will be carried out through a complex operation.
He said that the achievement of such an effort in a very critical location, because of the present condition of the road system, in a minimum possible time was due to the excellent co-operation between the local authorities, the Nato team in Islamabad and the Italian relief corps; all together providing help to the affected population.
Pasquino said that the estimated value of the material so far sent by the Italian Civil Protection Department amounts to about 3.5 million euros. "Italian foreign affairs ministry has sent goods amounting 1.1 million euros, ministry of defence goods worth 0.5 million euros."
The value of the immediate emergency contribution of the Italian ministry of foreign affairs to ICRC and Red Crescent, WHO and OCHOA is of 750 million euros, he added.
The Consul General said that the overall Italian contribution to the relief operation is about 5.8 million euros ($7m). (A total of about 270 tonnes goods forwarded through 9 flights).
Giving more details of the relief operation, he said that one complete field hospital consisting of about 40 tents is fully operational in Mansehra, being run by about 50 Italians. In the Balakot area (near Hassa village) two Italian NGOs (INTERSOS and ISCO) supported by Pakistani volunteers and local NGOs are distributing Italian aid, planting tents as well as delivering them to remote areas.
Pasquino said that another NGO (ALISEI) is active in Bagh Tehsil partially funded by the Unicef.
The Consul General said that the Italian ministry of foreign affairs is currently analysing the needs of the reconstruction phase and has participated in the Geneva International Conference on the earthquake. A sum of about 4.5 million dollars was pledged on that occasion.
Pasquino said that it has been decided that 15 million dollars of Pakistani debt will be converted for utilisation in reconstruction operations.
He said that the Italian government has also offered food aid (not yet shipped) worth 2.4 million euros.
The Consul General said that following the donors conference in Islamabad it has been decided that Italian Minister of Regional Affairs, Senator Enrico La Loggia, will co-ordinate the help of all the Italian Regions, and in view of that a meeting will shortly take place in Italy to which NGOs operating in Pakistan will also be invited.
He said that within the framework of Nato, 250 Italian army engineers (utilising 127 trucks of heavy equipment) will start clearing and construction operations in the affected areas, from their base in Bagh District.
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