RIYADH, 13 November 2005 — A cross-section of Indian expatriates have proposed to set up a permanent relief committee to mobilize aid and relief materials in the event of natural disasters like earthquake. The proposed panel, which seeks recognition from the local Indian mission, will have the mandate to receive donations, collect relief supplies and disburse them among the victims of natural calamities as and when required.
The proposal was made during a meeting of Indian expatriates, convened here Friday night to mobilize support for the victims of earthquake in the Indian Kashmir. A 10-member ad hoc committee has already been constituted and entrusted with the task to send relief supplies for quake survivors. The committee members are Salahuddin Quraishi, Nadeem Tarin, Salem Zubedi, Ashraf Shah, Abdullah Reddy, Qassim Ahmed, Abdul Rahim, Arif Marikiar, Rashid A-Quayyum and Ali Koya.
The meeting, held at Al-Khayyam Restaurant and attended by some 300 Indian expatriates, was addressed by Khaled Almaeena, editor in chief of Arab News. Many prominent Indian community leaders including Rashid Ali Shaikh, Dr. Dilnawaz Roomi, Dr. Khaled Noor, S. M. I. Hassan, Ziaur Rahman and Niaz Ahmed Khan also attended the meeting.
The meeting urged the Indian government to intensify rescue and relief operations in the Indian side of Kashmir, especially with the onset of winter. During the meeting it was also proposed to organize a mega event to formalize the establishment of the permanent relief panel in Riyadh.
In his speech, Almaeena urged the audience to help the victims of the quake, while referring to the massive devastation on either side of the border.
He lauded the efforts of the Indian and Pakistani governments, which “have opened their borders to facilitate relief operations.” He recalled his recent meeting with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in which he raised the issue of opening the LOC.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Quraishi and Zubedi said that the districts of Uri and Tandaal in the Indian side had suffered severe destruction, leaving thousands of people helpless and stranded.
“Several areas besides these two districts are now in a severe grip of cold weather and if relief agencies cannot make it to these places, more deaths will be reported in the coming days,” they said. They said that some government agencies and independent sources had cited about 1,300 to 6,000 deaths in the area so far.
“More than 37,000 houses and 100 mosques have also been destroyed leaving behind hundreds of thousands of men, women and children homeless,” they said.
Referring to the urgent need of relief supplies, Ashraf Shah called on the Indian government agencies and relief organizations to come forward. “The roads are badly damaged and an estimated three million people have been left homeless,” said Shah. “With the onset of winter, 800,000 displaced people still had no shelter,” he said. Many more still remain stranded in the uplands without food.”
