The people speak out

THE world's attention will gradually move away from the pathos and devastation caused by the earthquake that has transformed the lives of millions of people in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) and Pakistan as well as its topography. But the Pakistani military and government cannot escape troubling questions from experts and common people from both within and outside the country on several issues related to their preparedness to meet challenges posed by such disasters.

One critical issue that would undoubtedly disturb the sleep of the all-powerful Generals in Pakistan pertains to the response of the establishment to the Indian offer of assistance for the victims. The signs of restlessness are already visible. On the eighth day of the catastrophe there was none in the country to defend the military's decision not to join hands with India to deal with the aftermath of the quake. President Pervez Musharraf's explanation about the "sensitivities" involved in accepting the Indian offer has done precious little in convincing the people and the critics.

The popular sentiment was reflected in the "letters to the editor" columns of various newspapers. Writing under the headline "Plea from Azad Kashmir" in one of the Pakistani dailies, Sardar Usman Ali Khan, 26, grandson of former President and Prime Minister of POK, Sardar Qayyum Khan, noted:

"On the Indian side of Kashmir, many troops have been deployed. That has made the difference as rescue work there has been relatively well-organised. Then [came] the Pakistan government's refusal to jointly carry out the relief work with India. It could have brought about confidence-building measures. But trust won't come easy. I suspect Pakistan believes that India, under the guise of relief workers, may send their intelligence officers, which could raise security concerns. But we Kashmiris want help in this hour of difficulties.

"Had this disaster struck Lahore, borders would have been kept wide open and aid would have been received. But I want to tell the politicians that if Kashmiris survive, only then will you be able to `fight' over Kashmir."

Khan was furious with the initial response of the Pakistani establishment:

"What more can be said when Pervez Musharraf, despite being the head of the state, tells journalists that he came to know about the destruction caused by the earthquake through television. Minister [for Information and Broadcasting] Sheikh Rashid told foreign journalists that Pakistan doesn't need aid. What are you talking about! What kind of capabilities do you have? How can you play politics when people are buried under the debris?"

According to the letter-writer, no institution or individual was prepared for such a disaster. He wrote: "The Pakistani Army too has been hit badly. A brigadier and many commanding officers have lost their lives. The government has failed to respond quickly. All contingency plans have failed and for the first couple of days, hardly anything was moved. It was an appalling scene. Phones were out of order, the power supply went off, wireless systems did not work as well, and the media was nowhere to be seen. Even our Prime Minister and the President's staff fled to look for their family members, rendering the officials ineffective."

Khan was shaken so badly that he lost confidence in the government. He wrote: "Please do not route everything via the government. Ask the donors and agencies to come to Muzzaffarabad and open relief camps and rehabilitation camps. The government is not afraid of God. Unhe Khuda ka khauf nahin hota [they do not fear God]."

It is not an outpouring of a shocked youngster trying to come to terms with his shattered life. Interestingly, a sample of letters to the editor in the prestigious English daily Dawn showed that there are several people within Pakistan, though not personally affected, who shared the sentiments of the young man.

M. Rafique Zakaria from Karachi wrote in his letter:

"Keeping in mind that the Indian sector hit worst by the quake is Uri, which lies just across Bagh district on the AJK [Azad Jammu and Kashmir] side, and that Bagh is also among the worst-hit districts, I suggest that our government should ask India to send troops with heavy machinery, medicines and other relief goods to help the affected people where relief agencies have not been able to go.

"The Indian Army should be allowed - under the supervision of the U.N. [United Nations] - to carry out relief work in Azad Jammu and Kashmir for a certain period of time. As soon as the situation gets under control, it can be asked to leave. The people of Azad Kashmir who have survived are saying that they have lost one whole generation. "If we have no people left in AJK, what use were the three wars that we fought with India? We are already engaged with India in confidence-building measures and there could be no bigger confidence-building measure than this."

Anil Khan Luni writes from Lahore: "A lot of people have died because the roads leading to their villages were blocked. The only way to reach them was by helicopter. The President should have put differences aside and taken India's offer. They could have provided us with helicopters, which could have been used to drop medicines and food to remote areas and to bring people to safer places. This could have saved hundreds of lives."

Yet another reader of Dawn, A. Rizvi from Istanbul, Turkey, asked: "How dare we blame the international community for not doing enough to help Pakistan deal with this national tragedy? What is the use of having an Army which has over half a million soldiers? The Pakistan Army has failed the Kashmiris. The government, the Army and indeed all Pakistanis have to stand up and take responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of children."

Mariam Durrani from Karachi wrote: "I was disappointed to see that the web site of the Government of Pakistan did not have any breaking news section or any mention of emergency numbers. The entire country is witnessing the worst tragedy in its history and we have failed to post even a news report regarding this tragedy on the government web site or any details of emergency numbers for people who want to help."

Ayesha Samad from Karachi gave vent to her anger against Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz: "Is this the time for the Prime Minister to engage himself in photo opportunities? On one of the news channels, he was seen happily accepting cheques from various organisations."

Abu Hashir from Sargodha wrote: "A recent AP [Associated Press] report read: `The massive earthquake that rocked Kashmir appears to have dealt a blow to the disputed region's Islamic militants, ripping through their heartland along the mountainous frontier and wrecking their network of camps, safe houses and weapons caches.' Hopefully, Kashmir will now be free of bigoted zealots."