Army Takes Control Of Earthquake Hit Valley Of

[VisionHawk]

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Army takes control of earthquake hit valley of Allai: ISPR

PESHAWAR, Oct 16 (APP): Pakistan Army has taken the complete control of the devastated earthquake-hit valley of Allai and further expedited the relief operations, according to ISPR press release, Sunday. In this connection, Pakistan Air Force C-130 airliner in open and Army helicopters in narrow and remote areas, distributed relief goods and others foodstuff among the affected people.

In the last three days, the paramedical staff, medicines and other relief consignment had been dispatched to the affected areas with the help of helicopters. Despite heavy snow-fall and rain in Allai Valley, the Army engineers after hectic efforts has opened 14-kilometer Thakot-Bana road blocked by massive landsliding and restored the traffic flow that would further expedite the relief and rescue activities in the valley. Likewise, the Army engineers with the help of heavy machinery have opened Battal to Sachin Kalan, Nawaz Aba, and Devali road blocked by massive rocks for traffic.

[VisionHawk]

Four children rescued alive in Balakot by Army

ISLAMABAD, Oct 16 (APP): Four children in Balakot including an infant have been rescued by Army. This was stated by Director General ISPR, Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan while talking to PTV. He said that yesterday, two children aged nine and seven years came to army camp in Balakot. There was also a seven month infant with them. Children informed that their village 'Sanghar' which was seven kilometers from Balakot in mountains has been totally destroyed due to earthquake. They told that their parents had also died in the earthquake. And their sister aged three years who also suffering from polio was trapped under debris. On the identification of children, the troops went there, they pulled alive their sister and brought her along with other children to the camp. All the four children are safe in the Army camp in Balakot. He paid tributes and added that the hero of this all episode was a nine years old boy who cared his brothers and sister for nine days consecutively and kept them alive.

[VisionHawk]

Services of Pak‑Army outstanding in relief operation: Rao Sikandar

ISLAMABAD, Oct 17 (APP): Minister for Defence, Rao Sikandar Iqbal has said that officers and Jawans of Pak‑Army have made their relation with nation memorable by sacrificing their lives. "Pak‑Army and public are united to face this calamity," he said in a statement here Monday. He said Pak‑Army is engaged in the rescue and relief operation and want to lessen the miseries of aggrieved Pakistanis. The spirit like that of 1965 is revived and nation is once again united due to the dynamic leadership, he added. The admirable remarks by President General Pervez Musharraf, in his address to nation, for the Opposition and social organizations have forged national harmony and people are engaged in relief activities with zeal and fervour.

Sikandar Iqbal said that government is giving priority to provide relief to the affected children. " Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education to arrange for the education of 400 affected children and solve their problems on immediate basis," he added. He said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has visited the hospital to inquire about the health of wounded persons in hospitals and gave a message to the nation to face this tragedy with mutual spirit and unity. The minister said national integrity is required at this critical stage and if same spirit persists, we will be ale to make a new Azad Kashmir in coming days.

[VisionHawk]

Pak Army sets up 30 more tent villages in quake-hit areas in NWFP



Peshawar October 27: Pakistan Army has set up 30 more tent villages to accommodate thousands of victims as survivors continue to descend from hilltops of quake affected areas in NWFP.

The number of tent villages established by Pak Army in the calamity hit areas have been increased to 61 and 22000 displaced people are presently living in these villages.

Central cooking arrangements have been made to avoid fire incidents. Special measures have also been taken for the security of these villages besides availability of round-the-clock medical assistance to the survivors.

A refugee management cell, to facilitate earthquake victims, has also been established at Allai Valley of Batgram district.

The refugee management cell is responsible for registration of affected people who have started coming down from hamlets at mountains to the tent villages established at Bana, Pashto and Bandi areas of Allai Valley.

Affected people are looked after at refugee management cell. They are registered, provided with food and medicines and in some cases patients, minors and elderly are evacuated by the army helicopters.

Meanwhile, Corps Commander Lieutenant General Mohammed Hamid Khan has directed immediate establishment of help lines at various places of calamity-hit areas. The helplines will function 24 hours and officer on duty will record complaints and problems of the survivors and convey it to army authorities for swift action.

Corps Commander issued these directives while attending a briefing on Army's relief and rescue operation in the quake-hit areas of the province at Corps Headquarters here Thursday.

He also directed the Army doctors to take all precautionary measures to avoid outbreak of epidemics and infections in the tent villages. He said that maintenance of cleanliness at tent villages must be ensured to check spread of various diseases.

Hygiene and sanitation evaluation team, comprising a pathologist, community medicine specialist and medical specialist of AMC, visited Balakot and Batgram to assess hygiene and sanitary conditions in the affected areas.

While a team of Pakistani US National Infection Control Specialists from USA has arrived to assist health care providers in implementing infection control measures.

In the wake of increasing cold weather, an upsurge in uteri, scabies and acute diarrhoea diseases has been observed and assistance in this regard has been asked by doctors form Army Medical Corps.

A Brigade of Pakistan Army that reached Shinkiari and Kaladhaka the other day has stepped up relief and rescue efforts at Darband, Shilungi, Bartoni, Chakisor, Martung, Alpuri and Khaki areas. A helipad at Darband has been made to accelerate air operations in the affected areas.

Army Aviation helicopters made 41 sorties to Garhi Habib Ullah, Shinkiari, Balakot Batgram, Kawai, Jared, Oghi, Bana, Allai and Chattar Plain and dropped 33.56 tons of Relief goods. Pakistan Army dispatched 20 truck loaded with 542 tents including 324 High Altitude Tents, 8550 blankets,7.2 tons ration and medicines,132 Kanat and 42.51 tons of other relief goods from PAF Base Chaklala to the quake affected areas of the province.

From Army's main operational base at Mansehra, 56 trucks loaded with 530 tents, 312 tarpaulin, 20650 blankets,1707 quilts and 20389 tons ration were sent to far-flung areas like Chattar Plain, Balakot. Shinkiari, Battal and Batagram.

Army rescue and relief teams distributed 76715 kg relief goods and 80 tents in 116 villages of Garhi Habib Ullah,Balakot,Shinkiari,Bataal and Batagram sectors while mules parties from the Animal Regiment distributed 5210 kg supplies in Sanghar, Kholian, Ghonal and Sabtaini areas. One more train carrying 760 tons of supplies has reached Havelian from Karachi. The train is being unloaded and relief goods will soon be dispatched to the affected areas.

[VisionHawk]

9265 quake victims treated at 11 Military Hospitals of country



ISLAMABAD, October 27 (APP): Military Hospitals of Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Nowshera, Abbottabad, Murree, Mangla, Jhelum, Kharian, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Lahore have admitted 9,265 injured since October 8 earthquake.

These injured were evacuated by helicopters from the quake-afflicted areas.

At present, 1773 patients are under treatment in these 11 Military Hospitals of the country.

Besides, providing medical treatment to these patients at the Military Hospitals, thousands of other earthquake injured are being treated by a team of 121 Army doctors and 334 paramedics in forward areas.

Presently over 600 doctors and 808 paramedics, including that of foreign countries, NGOs and volunteers are providing necessary medical treatment to earthquake victims in forward areas.

Combined Military Hospital and Military Hospital Rawalpindi have received the majority of the quake victims and 720 are still undergoing treatment at these hospitals.

Army doctors at the Combined Military Hospital and Military Hospital Rawalpindi carried out 1925 major surgical operations and 3100 minor surgical operations.

At Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) and its affiliated laboratories, over 12,000 pathological tests were undertaken and almost a similar number of X-Rays were carried out.

Station Headquarters Rawalpindi have set up a Rehabilitation Centre at Transit Camp Rawalpindi. Those injured women, children and men discharged from hospitals and still requiring medical care are brought here.

Presently 710 injured including 289 women and children are residing in the transit camp. A team of doctors, paramedics, nurses and volunteers mostly wives of the Army Officers are working round-the-clock to \look after these needy people.

The Rehabilitation Centre is also providing psychological treatment to women and children so that they could come out of trauma they were undergoing due to the catastrophe.

The authorities have made all arrangements to provide necessary facilities and care to the earthquake victims residing in the Rehabilitation Centre.

[VisionHawk]

fascinating

[VisionHawk]

Army jawans visiting door to door in remote areas for providing relief: Farooq



ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): Federal Relief Commissioner Maj. General Farooq Ahmed Khan has said that army jawans are visiting door to door on foot in far flung settlements situated at high altitude in the quake affected areas to deliver relief services.

Speaking in a PTV programme he said, three battalion containing about 3000 army-men have been specially deployed in the areas which presently cannot be approached through roads.

He said in such areas work is simultaneously going on, on the restoration of road links and provision of relief goods through all means including air drop and animal supplies is continued.

Farooq said the mule tracks are being improved into jeepable tracks which would further be developed for other traffic.

He said the next 3-4 weeks are very crucial in the context that weather will get further cool with start of snowfall in some areas.

Efforts are therefore being made to convince the people to climb down the high mountain peaks for the time being he said adding otherwise they are being provided with required relief at their dwelling places.

To a question he said army has issued no orders to people living at high altitude in suburbs of Allai to vacate their settlements.

Explaining he said, normally people from such locations move to the plain areas during the winter and only a marginal population stays back.

Such people were requested to move on their routine journey a bit earlier he said and added that they were not issued orders by army.

Army is committed to provide relief to the people wherever they are, he said.

To another question he said there is no fear of volcanic eruption in the Allai area in near future.

About the availability of tents in the affected areas he said the situation is improving with every passing day. Hopefully the required amount of tents would be available in 3-4 weeks.

Presently he said, 175,000 tents have been moved into areas by Army while the private sector has also shifted considerable number of tents.

While ruling out the possibility of spread of any epidemic disease in affected areas he said, the ministry of health has deployed special teams in these areas to watch this phenomena.

There were the reports of some stomach diseases due to use of contaminated water but the situation was brought under control very soon, he said.

While praising the spirit and commitment of Pakistani nation and NGOs he said, it is unprecedented.

He said there is dire need of lady doctors and lady health workers particularly in affected areas of NWFP where the female patients hesitate while being examined by the male doctors.

[VisionHawk]

Pak Army distributes 155,900 tents, 224,000 blankets in quake zone



ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (APP): About 155,900 tents, 224,000 blankets have so far been distributed in the quake-stricken areas by Pakistan Army to enable the marooned people to face approaching winter in an effective way.

Director General Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Shaukat Sultan Friday told PTV that 36,000 tonnes food, 2,100 tonnes medicines have also been dispersed to the quake survivors.

Additionally 22,363 injured were transported to country’s various hospitals by helicopters. Out of which 16,926 were discharged, he said.

Field hospitals at each base of the Army was working round the clock. While 21 field hospitals from different foreign countries were also providing quality medical facilities in the affected areas.

12 foreign medical teams were also serving people in various quake hit areas, he added.

Pakistan Army was conducting relief operation in the entire quake zone including most part of the inaccessible valleys through different means of transport including helicopters, mules, etc.

Proper planning was being devised for rebuilding in the entire quake zone on modern lines.

Road links with Rawalpindi have completely been restored from Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawlakot, Balakot, he said.

49 out of 57 kilometer Muzaffarabad-Jhelum valley has been reopened, while heavy machinery had been shifted in the Neelum valley by helicopters for expediting its repair and reconstruction work, he remarked.

[Nasir]

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Army repeated intervention in country’s politics made Pakistan institutions vulnerable: MMA
Monday December 05, 2005 (0939 PST)

NOWSHERA, December 05(Online): President Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) Qazi Hussain Ahmad has alleged that provincial governments have no autonomy at all as President General Pervez Musharraf is enjoying all powers of the government. "Repeated intervention of Army in the country’s politic have made Pakistan’s defense fragile", fiery Qazi expressed these remarks while addressing a gathering in Nowshera on Sunday.
He regretted the incumbent government policies were going towards wrong direction and urged upon Army not to intervene in politics for the larger nation interest and should concentrate only on improving their defense capabilities.

He claimed all the country opposition parties including the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) had worked out one point agreed strategy with the religious alliance to force out sitting government of power corridors.

About NWFP chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani participation in the National Security Council (NSC) meeting, he said decision regarding his participation would be taken in the MMA supreme council upcoming meeting.

He told that incumbent government was taking debts from IMF and World Bank to run the country’s institutions including education. He declared diversion of the Muslims from the teaching of Islam as the real cause of growing formidable problems. He urged upon Muslim to get knowledge of science and technology besides getting religious education.

End.
Source: http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=127393