First Anniversary of the Devastated Earthquake
Newsletter – 8th October 2006
Relief and Rehabilitation Activities
Undertaken by
Alpine Club of Pakistan
(Mountaineering and Climbing Federation of Pakistan)

One year ago this day Saturday 8th of October, parts of NWFP Province of Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir were struck by one of the most devastating and horrendous earthquake measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale affecting more than 4 million population spread over 28,000 sq kms of the area. It left a long trail of destruction and devastation beyond imagination, comprehension and description. Over 80,000 people, mostly children and youth perished as they were buried under the collapsed and destroyed houses, hospitals, schools, colleges and a university. Majority of the injured estimated at above 70,000, suffered limb amputation. Soon after the earthquake anguish, the victims were further distressed by the onset of the winter, with frequent snowfall and rains. Misfortunes of the local populace did not concluded here as the area continues to experience endless tremors and aftershocks, albeit of lesser intensity. The map of the affected area is as under:
 
 
Extent of Damage

The worst affected cities were Balakot and Muzaffarabad (towns) while other surrounding areas suffered extensive damage to property resulting in high casualties. Being remotely located, much of the area suffered from lack of communications resulting in additional casualties. Mainly the damage occurred to educational institutions and hospitals. The girls were the worst hit victims in the educational institutions as many of them were in class rooms and out of confusion unfortunately huddled together instead of rushing to the open and met their final destiny. The casualty ratio of girls to boys was as high as 1:12. Many victims were miraculously recovered after one month. An overview of the extent of damage is as under:-
Balakot, NWFP
 
Muzzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir
Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir
 
International Support
In addition to the Government of Pakistan, local governments, many local NGOs, relief agencies and philanthropists immediately rushed to provide emergency relief to the earthquake victims in variety of ways ranging from food, clothing, tent villages, to medical facilities etc. People of Pakistan are especially thankful to the international community who immediately responded to the appeal of assistance launched by the Government of Pakistan. Teams of rescuers, doctors, service men with helicopters from different countries and international agencies saved many lives and provided large quantities of relief material, tents, transportation means and hospitals. Due to destruction of the communication infrastructure and continued disruption of the restored communications due to road slides resulting from inclement weather, cargo helicopters provided by United Nations, ICRC, USA, UK, Germany and other nations and NGO’s proved to be the main workhorse for distribution of relief goods to the earthquake victims in the remote and isolated mountainous areas. In addition the international community came forward with cash and material support which is being spent for the relief and rehabilitation activities by the Government of Pakistan. Pakistan remains indebted to all these countries and international agencies.

The international mountaineering community, friends and well wishes responded generously on the appeal launched by Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP). President, officials and all members of ACP acknowledge and pay their gratitude to the international mountaineering community for their magnanimous support in donating relief goods, cash donations to the ACP Earthquake Relief Fund. We would like greatly appreciate Ms Sallie Dean Shatz and Ms Danika Gilbert of American Alpine Club for their active participation in distributing relief goods besides many ACP volunteers and officials who actively participated in the relief activities. ACP, in particular, wishes to thank following organisations and individuals who substantially contributed towards relief fund through cash and material and in distribution activities.

 
1. American Alpine Club, USA
2. Arabian Mountaineering and Alpine Club, Dubai, UAE
3. Aidu Karakorum Club, Fukushimaken, Japan.
4. Gillette Middle East, UAE
5. Irish Himalayan Trust, Ireland
6. Korean Alpine Federation, Korea.
7. Japanese Alpine Club, Tokyo, Japan
8. Japan Worker’s Alpine Federation , Tokyo, Japan
9. Member Associations of Union of Asian Alpine Association
10. Stichting Mountain Travel, Netherlands
11. Herr Claude Bachmann.
12. Hrvatski Planinarskisavez, Zagreb. Slovekia
13. Alpine Club of New Zealand
14. Josef Lauber Hasu
15. Kazuo Sasaki Japan.
16. Michael Kohler Hardenbergstr,Leipzig, Germany
17. Mme Frederique Paris, France.
18. Ms Masami Hasegawa, Tokyo.
19. Paul Amstut.
20. Perdan Anda Psevska Cesta 24000 Kranj
21. Robert B Anderson UK
22. Tomaz Humor, Slovenia
23. Dr Anda Perdan, Slovenia
24. Peter Wiedemann, Germany
25. Danika Gilbert, AAC, USA
26. Sallie Shatz, AAC, USA
27. Robert Mcgowin, USA
 
Relief Activities Undertaken by Alpine Club of Pakistan
First batch of ACP members immediately left for Balakot on 9th October, 2005 to help evacuate the injured and survivors trapped under the debris. This team was reinforced by another batch of members next day i.e. 10th October. Both the teams spent over 10 days in the worst affected areas and rescued 25 men, women and children from the debris besides recovering 47 bodies. Another team of few ACP members mainly from Quetta left for Muzaffarabad on 11th October to participate in the rescue operations. This team stayed in Muzaffarabad for 10 days and rescued 4 persons alive besides recovering 25 bodies. Four teams of ACP members comprising 8 members each were dispatched to Shinkiari and Batgram on 20th October to assist Army teams in distribution of relief goods to the earthquake victims living high-up on the mountains. They remained with the Army till 30th October, 2005. ACP distributed 3 truck loads of relief goods in Muzaffarabad including blankets etc. Besides ACP collected and donated 20 tons of relief goods to President’s Relief Fund, which was appreciated by the Prime Minister of Pakistan during his visit to Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad on 20 October. The relief goods comprised tents, quilts, sleeping bags, high altitude jackets, pants and other warm clothing.

A team was dispatched to Garhi Dupatta to assist Hearts Beats Field Hospital to augment their efforts to evacuate and treat the injured persons. Alpine Club collaborated in establishing a tent school in village Gull Maira near Garhi Habibullah. This team was headed by ACP Secretary Mr Saad Tariq Siddiqi. In addition ACP mountaineers, trekking guides and other members assisted several national and international NGO’s in their relief efforts especially in the mountain areas of Neelum valley and NWFP. Many of the ACP officials and members also visited the devastated areas and distributed relief goods at personal level.

To coordinate relief activities of the tourism industry, ACP organized a meeting of all tour operators and coordinated various relief activities on 17 October 05. It may be mentioned that all tour operators made appreciable efforts in donating cash and kind towards the earthquake victims directly, as well as through ACP. Many tour operators carried out relief initiatives on their own with the help of their clients and contacts.

An ACP Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Committee was constituted under ACP Executive Vice President Lt Col (Retd) Manzoor Hussain. After receipt of relief goods from international community various teams were again launched from November 2005 onward to the remote and snow bound mountain areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP. Due to continuous rain and snow fall and mountain slides occurring thereof various roads leading to the higher levels were blocked. One team headed by ACP Vice President Lt Col (Retd) Manzoor Hussain had to trek carrying the goods through porters for over 35 kms to reach the highest village of Besari (7000 ft) in Batdara-Bhari valleys of Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir in middle of January 06. Another team headed by Mr Mumtaz Alam, ACP Representative at Muzzaffarabad and an earthquake victim himself distributed the relief goods in Rajpayan Valley of Neelum Valley in December 05. Another team comprising American Alpine Club members Sallie Shatz and Danika Gilbert accompanied by ACP Secretary Mr Saad Tariq Siddiqi, Ali Muhammad from Soltoro Valley in Baltistan, Northern Areas and many other volunteers spent the months in February 2006 in distributing the relief goods received from USA and other countries. Major portion of the relief goods comprised sleeping bags, high altitude jackets, and other warm clothing. Special efforts were made to reach out children and women folk. Images of relief distribution activities are as under (for more images see websites www.alpineclub.org.pk and www.salliedeanshatz.com):
 
Receipt and Transportation of Relief Goods from Islamabad
Batdara – Bhari – Besari Valleys – Neelum Valley, Azad Kashmir
Distribution of Relief Goods at Besari
Rajpayan Valley, Neelum Valley Azad Kashmir
Muzzaffarabad - Chikar – Gulmaira (NWFP) – Batdara
(American Alpine Club and Alpine Club of Pakistan)
 
Promotion of Tourism in the Earthquake Affected Areas
To discuss the damage caused to the tourism industry in the earthquake affected areas and to discuss the opportunities available to tourism by opening up of the region to outside tourism by the Government of Pakistan, ACP Organized a National Workshop on Promoting Tourism in the Earthquake Effected Areas on 16 Dec 05 in Islamabad which was participated by Ministries of Tourism and Environment, PTDC, provincial tourism development corporations, AJK Tourism Deptt, consultants from World Tourism Organization, various international organizations, tour operators and representatives of hotel and travel associations. The opening session was chaired by Secretary Tourism whereas the concluding session was chaired by Federal Minister for Tourism, Government of Pakistan. The workshop recommended various viable and detailed measures to the Governments of Pakistan, Azad Kashmir and tour operators. Report on this Workshop is available on the ACP website. Few images are as under:-
     
Mr Nazir Sabir President ACP exploited all his personal links to muster support from both national and international mountaineering community for the relief efforts. Maj Gen Asif Ali, ACP Senior Vice President headed the Army organisation which worked day and night to restore the devastated physical communication networks in the earthquake affected areas within shortest possible time. The organisation still continues to work on clearance of the road slides caused by frequent slides due to rains and jolts etc. Brig Muhammad Saleem, another ACP Vice Presidents, stationed at Muzzaffarabad as Officer In-charge of Army Relief Centre was a great help in coordinating and providing assistance to all Relief NGO’s, both local and international in conducting relief activities.
 
Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Activities
After considering various projects, ACP decided to work on community welfare schemes, especially schools. Within this strategy construction of an earthquake proof, prefabricated steel structured school for Girls High School at Kohori, Ghori in the Neelum Valley was started in December 2005. The project has been sponsored by Mr Zed Alrafai, President of the Arabian Mountaineering and Alpine Club, UAE, with the financial support of Gillette Middle East. The project, although planned to be completed by the end of 2005, was beset by numerous impediments with inclement weather and intermittent snowfall and rains which often caused the shattered strata to slide resulted in roads blocks for a number of times during the three winter months. This coupled with non availability of local labour, both skilled and unskilled and long chain of transportation of construction material ie, from Islamabad/Muzzaffarabad to Ghori by truck, followed by jeeps to Kohori and then onward to the construction site by mule caused considerable delay in completion of the project. This five class room high school with allied Principal and staff rooms, adequate toilets, water supply and electric connections has been completed. Image of the School are as under:-
Future Plans/Projects
Distribution of Relief Material Whereas normal relief support will continue to be provided to the local communities in the Neelum Valley, through out the year, the relief goods received/being received comprising snow clothing, tents and blankets etc shall be distributed before the next winter season so that local communities can rightfully use the goods when required.

Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Projects As the Government has put a ban on the construction of any more buildings in the areas, plans are being chalked out to construct community welfare prefabricated accommodation mainly Girls Primary and High Schools at Muzzafarabad and localities situated at higher locations in Neelum Valley with the approval of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority set up by the Federal Government. Donations which have been received till date, or are expected in the future shall be put in use to construct two to three such schools.

Request for Support We once again pay our gratitude to the international mountaineering community who compassionately came forward in providing relief goods and materials for the affected victims. As the Government is providing financial assistance for the construction of housing, therefore there is a need to construct earthquake proof community welfare projects like schools etc. You can help mitigate the suffering of the earthquake victims by contributing Rehabilitation and Reconstruction projects being undertaken by ACP. These have been and shall in future be properly accounted for and donors will be kept informed of its accounting. Monetary donations to ACP can be deposited in the following ACP account with intimation to the ACP:-
Bank Name: National Bank of Pakistan Cantonment Branch
City: Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Account Title: Alpine Club of Pakistan
Account No: 201248-7
Account Currency: Pak Rupees
Swift Code: NBPAPKKAA02R
 
Contact Addresses
Nazir Sabir
President
Alpine Club of Pakistan
C/O Nazir Sabir Expeditions
H No 434, St-2 G9/3
Islamabad
Tel: 091 51 2252580
51 2252553
E mails:
nazirsabir@alpineclub.org.pk
info@nazirsabir.com

Mr Saad Tariq Siddiqi,
Honorary Secretary,
ACP Secretariat
Alpine Club of Pakistan
Room No 8, Ground Floor,
Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex,
Kashmir Highway, Near Aabpara, Islamabad
Pakistan
Tel:- 92 51 9208963
Fax: 92 51 9208964
E mails:
info@alpineclub.org.pk
pakalpine@yahoo.com

Lt Col (Retd) Manzoor Hussain
Executive Vice President,
Alpine Club of Pakistan,
509 Kashmir Rd, RA Bazar, Rawalpindi
Pakistan
Tel: 92 51 9271321
Fax: 92 51 9271330
vp1@alpineclub.org.pk
 

Report prepared by
Lt Col (Retd) Manzoor Hussain
Executive Vice President,
Alpine Club of Pakistan