Tsunami in Asia: Relief Measures by Pakistan
By Shahid Ali Butt

PAKISTAN's aid efforts for Aceh survivors of devastating earthquake and tsunami in the hour of affliction has won hearts, minds and thanks of the people of Indonesia.

In response to December 26 earthquake and tsunami, Pakistan dispatched a 250-member military contingent, comprising doctors, paramedics and engineers to Aceh province to join the unprecedented relief efforts the world has even seen.

Besides conducting rescue operations, creating makeshift shelters and removing debris, Pakistan army established a 50-bed field hospital in Lamno district, some 80 kilometers away from Banda Aceh.

Pakistan was the first country that set-up a field hospital in Lamno to look after some 14,000 survivors living in villages around Lamno where nearly 7,000 people were killed by tsunami.

"Indonesians are very much grateful to the people and government of Pakistan for providing relief goods and assistance for the Tsunami victims."

"The government and people of Pakistan are sharing our grief and sorrow at this critical time," Indonesian Information Minister, Sofyan Jalil said an interview.

Commander Task Force Humanitarian Assistance Programme of Indonesia, Major General Bambang Darmono said Pakistani doctors have won peoples' hearts by providing medical facilities.

"Pakistan Army had shown strong commitment to collaborate in rehabilitation and reconstruction of the devastated areas," he added.

Latest figures show that death toll in the calamity hit province of Indonesia, around 150,000 perished, 200,000 were still missing and around 500,000 had been displaced.

Nations from across the globe stood shoulder to shoulder with the Indonesian government and the people.

In their relief efforts, Pakistan doctors are treating more than 500 patients a day at the hospital, equipped with required medical facilities including X-ray machine, laboratory and ECG.

Besides providing outdoor treatment to the tsunami-hit people, Pakistani surgeons successfully operated hundreds of patients in the hospital.

"We have enough medicines and staff to meet the needs of people here," said the doctors working at the hospital.

People coming to the Pakistani hospital in Lamno also appreciated the services and talked of problems they were facing before the hospital was set up.

"We really needed such a help that could provide us relief," said Ramli Rozan, a tsunami survivor whose family has been missing since December 26.

Pakistan army also set-up two 8,000 litre water filtration plants to provide clean drinking water to the people in Banda Aceh and Lamno.

Army engineers were rebuilding collapsed bridges and damaged roads side by side removal of debris, setting up of makeshift shelters and other rescue operations.

Pakistan also sent two naval ships, Moawin and Khyber, carrying 400 tones of food, medicines, heavy equipment and other necessary help to expedite the relief operation.

Naval ships also carried 15 specialist doctors and 75 paramedical staff of Pakistan Navy who set up a field hospital in Samalanga, near Sigli to provide medical relief to the Tsunami victims.

Thousands of residents of calamity hit town thronged the hospital, the first in the area after Tsunami had washed away the only facility in the area.

No doctor was available after the tsunami hit the area on December 26, 2004.

On the first day, 900 patients were given treated at the hospital. They also commended efforts of Pakistani doctors and thanked the government and the people of Pakistan for generous help.

"Relief efforts by Pakistan Army will be remembered by the Indonesian people for ever," said a patient who suffered arm fracture in tsunami.

"In time and generous support will further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries," he said.

Navy helicopters coordinated in the relief activities by identifying places to where the relief activity could have been expanded.

Although the unforgiving tidal waves unleashed death and destruction, yet the relief efforts contributed a lot in mitigating sufferings of the Indonesian people.

Pakistan's role, no doubt, will also be remembered by the Indonesians for long. Hats off to valiant Pakistan Army and Navy officers and jawans!●