Govt committed to rehabilitate quake victims: Musharraf
PakistanTimes.net Staff Report

RAWALPINDI: President General Pervez Musharraf says the government is committed to rehabilitation of vulnerable earthquake victims through an integrated approach.

He was addressing a meeting in Rawalpindi which discussed matters relating to handling of patients in hospitals and rehabilitation of shelterless people.

The President said that orphaned children, widows and disable persons would be rehabilitated by providing them adequate shelter, healthcare and economic opportunities.

The meeting stressed that no patient be discharged from hospitals without being registered after which they should be taken to affiliated convalescence centres.

These centres have been set up in Islamabad and Rawalpindi later be established in quake affected areas.

Identification

The meeting also agreed that after proper identification, orphaned children and those still without their parents, destitute women and those needing rehabilitation would be taken care of by the Ministry of Social Welfare and Special Education.

The others who find their relatives will go back to their homes. It also discussed quick distribution of compensation to those individuals and families who need to reconstruct individual houses which are not part of towns or cities but situated in outlying areas.

The meeting was informed that distribution of money would be properly recorded and photographed so as to obviate any chances of misappropriation.

The President emphasised the need for integrating all efforts to ensure proper health, education, shelter and development opportunities for the orphaned children, widows and destitute in the wake of October 8 earthquake in Azad Kashmir and NWFP.

Special Care for Injured

President Musharraf directed that special care be taken to look after the hospitalised people and said in addition to all concerned ministries and government departments, the entire society has to come forward to pull them out of shock.

He said government will pay special attention to these people at dedicated centres, but all segments of the society including the non-governmental organisations should contribute to these efforts, as we have to enable these people to rebuild their lives.

The meeting was attended by Health Minister Muhammad Naseer Khan, Minister for Social Welfare and Special Education Zubaida Jalal, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Aneesa Zeb Taherkheli, Advisor to the PM on Women Development Neelofar Bakhtiar and Federal Relief Commissioner Maj General Farooq Ahmed Khan.●