Jamaat-i-Islami flays government for seeking help from Nato

31 Oct, 2005

Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Dr Mehrajul Huda Siddiqui on Sunday called for carrying out post-quake relief and rehabilitation activities under the United Nation charter.
He flayed government for seeking help from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato)- basically a defence pact among member countries, having no concern with relief operations.
Addressing a press conference here in Idara Noor-e-Haq after returning from the affected areas including Muzaffarabad, Manshera, Balakot, Bagh, Rawalakot, he underscored need for mutli-dimensional co-ordination among various agencies helping affected people in quake-affected regions of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
Depicting a gruesome picture of earthquake devastated areas, he said four million people were at verge of extinction after the large-scale catastrophe set to aggravate living conditions of survivors in much feared winter. He charged amid this crucial juncture, government was making hallow claims of having everything under control while 'some' political parties were carrying out relief activities only in media when there presence was badly needed on the ground.
He said JI lost 300 workers including six party leaders in the worst national disaster but this did not refrain the countrywide JI network from dispatching immediate response.
Mehrajul Huda said when tents were badly needed in Northern Pakistan there was no point in restricting their sale to NGOs. He demanded of the government to do away with the restriction forthwith.
Government failed to deliver in the manner it was obligated too, he alleged saying, "it has not yet chalked out any long-term plan to rehabilitate destitute people forced to live under open sky."
He charged authorities made a little progress in arranging helicopters only to be used for VIP purposes. Resources were being utilised to defame religious organisations, praised by local and international media for their efforts in treacherous Himalayan terrain, he castigated referring to authorities.

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