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Pakistan to set up two tent cities for quake-hit

     Islamabad: Pakistan's Cabinet Committee on Earthquake Relief, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation has decided to set up two "tent cities" for quake-hit victims, and directed the authorities to arrange for an additional 300,000 "on war footing". Chaired by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the committee, at a meeting held yesterday, also approved the establishment of a transit tent village, in sector H-11 Islamabad, to receive the victims from the quake-hit areas. "The committee has decided to set up tent cities in Fateh Jang and Chakwal. Ultimately, they will go back to their respective areas. This will be a temporary stay in camps because of extreme weather and lack of civic amenities in those areas," the Daily Times quoted Pakistan Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed as saying at a press conference. In the tentage camps electricity, water and health and education would be available to the people, he added. At the meeting, the Committee was informed that so far 65,000 tents and 330,000 blankets had been distributed, but an additional 200,000 tents were required for the three million victims. Major General Farooq Ahmed, the federal relief commissioner, and Lt General Zubair, the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority chairman, briefed the committee on relief and rehabilitation programmes. The minister further said that the local tent-making industry was asked to provide 7000 tents per day. Reviewing the relief efforts the Committee directed the Federal Relief Commission and the Textiles Ministry to arrange tents "on war footing" because the winter was fast approaching.