OCHA Situation Report No. 40
South Asia - Earthquake
24 March 2006


Pakistan

Assisting earthquake-affected populations to return voluntarily, safely 
and in a dignified manner to their villages and towns of origin is at 
the heart of current relief activities. To facilitate the IDP returns 
process, agencies in cooperation with federal, provincial and local 
authorities have set up an integrated protection and monitoring system. 
The first draft of the Pakistan Action Plan from Relief to Recovery has 
been finalized. It aims to support the longer-term road to recovery by 
improving standards of living of the stricken population in both rural 
and urban areas. The Action Plan is currently under review with the 
Government of Pakistan and within the humanitarian community. It is 
scheduled to be launched on 8 April to mark six months on after the 8 
October earthquake.

The priorities of humanitarian operations are: (i) Assisting voluntary 
IDP returns to areas of origin; (ii) Reviewing the Pakistan Action Plan 
from Relief to Recovery; (iii) Providing food and Non-Food Items (NFI) 
assistance in IDP residual camps; (iv) Ensuring increased access to 
health services, health education, and teacher training.

SITUATION OVERVIEW:

Security

The security situation is calm and stable in earthquake-affected areas 
and relief operations continue as normal.

Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA)

ERRA is in the process of establishing Technical Working Groups at the 
federal and provincial level with the aim to coordinate and monitor 
reconstruction activities.

On 20 March, ERRA held a food and health focus group meeting in 
Islamabad, chaired by General Nadeem. He stated that no transitional 
Basic Health Units (BHU) should be constructed within the premises of 
permanent BHUs. ERRA provides construction specifications for permanent 
buildings and approves the designs. In Balakot and Muzaffarabad city and 
certain areas of Muzaffarabad district all reconstructions are on hold 
for the time being. ERRA further informed about the need to map food, 
agriculture and livestock activities.

IDP Returns Process

The Returns Task Force (RTF) presented the "Framework and Operational 
Process for the Return or Resettlement of Persons Displaced by the 
October Earthquake" on 11 March. The framework is based on international 
standards and provides policy guidelines to the operational process at 
Hub level. It aims to facilitate a voluntary, safe and dignified return 
of IDPs to areas of origin. Provincial Returns Task Forces have been 
established in each humanitarian Hub and joint Task Force meetings are 
held to streamline the returns process and clarify operational issues.

In line with the IDP Returns Framework, the Protection Cluster takes the 
lead in monitoring and reporting on protection issues. A questionnaire 
was prepared to enquire about the voluntary and informed nature of the 
return and a reporting mechanism was established. In Mansehra, the 
protection monitoring mechanism is implemented by a team of 80 UN and 
NGO personnel. Government and UN agencies visited areas of return to 
assess the conditions of water systems, irrigation channels, schools, 
health posts, and roads.

The returns process is supported by a public information campaign. The 
Federal Relief Commission (FRC) widely disseminated key messages in 
English and Urdu.

On 10 March, assisted returns of IDPs officially started. IOM is 
providing transportation assistance. In Mansehra, a total of 6,700 IDPs 
(1,156 families) had returned as of 15 March. In Batagram, nearly half 
of the camp population had left within two weeks of return. As of 22 
March, a total of 9,813 individuals (1,574 families) had left Batagram 
camps. In Muzaffarabad, an estimated 223 families had returned supported 
by Camp Management Organisation (CMO). In Bagh, UNOPS assessed 14 remote 
villages in Behdi Union Council in preparation of IDP returns.

Pakistan Action Plan from Relief to Recovery

UN Agencies and Cluster Heads reviewed the first draft of the Pakistan 
Action Plan. The document is being presented to the Government of 
Pakistan this week. The Action Plan aims to bridge the transition period 
from relief to recovery by outlining a set of operational programmes for 
early recovery in the sectors of education, health, livelihoods, water 
and sanitation, shelter and housing, camp management, support to 
vulnerable groups, governance, coordination and common services. The 
Action Plan covers a 12-month period from April 2006 to March 2007 and 
is the product of extensive consultations. It is expected to launch the 
Action Plan locally on 8 April to mark 6 months on after the earthquake.

Government Liaison

In Bagh, further efforts are made to strengthen Government's leadership 
role in recovery. The District Commissioner assisted by Line Government 
counterparts is going to co-chair Head of Clusters meetings. A similar 
arrangement has been proposed to Poonch authorities.

Dr. Mihar Bashir Hussein has been appointed General Director / Focal 
Point for ERRA in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir (PAK). Dr. Hussein has 
expressed his concerns about INGOs activities in PAK and has asked for 
consultations with local authorities prior to project implementation.

CLUSTER UPDATES

WATER AND SANITATION

1. Access to safe drinking water: In Muzaffarabad, 87% of the target 
population in camps and 97% of the target population outside camps have 
access to safe drinking water. In Bagh, 100% of the population in camps 
and 10% of the population outside camps have access to safe drinking 
water. In Shangla, 100% of the target population in camps and 33% 
outside camps have access to safe drinking water. In Mansehra, the ratio 
is 81% versus 21%. In Battagram, 31% of the target population outside 
camps have access to safe drinking water.

2. Access to sanitation facilities: In Muzaffarabad, 96% of the target 
population in camps and 55% of the target population outside camps have 
access to sanitation facilities. In Bagh, 100% of the population in 
camps and 25% of the population outside camps have access to sanitation 
facilities. In Shangla, 100% of the target population outside camps have 
access to sanitation facilities. In Mansehra, 70% of the target 
population in camps have access to proper sanitation facilities. In 
Battagram, 89% of the target population outside camps have access to 
sanitation facilities.

CAMP MANAGEMENT

3. A total of 156 camps with a population of 142,940 people are in the 
earthquake-affected area. Out of this, 96 camps with 86,264 people are 
located in PAK and 60 camps with 56,676 people are located in NWFP.

4. UNHCR and its implementing partners play a key role in the assisted 
IDP returns process. The process includes check-out procedures in camps, 
monitoring, assessing conditions in areas of return and preparing for 
camp closure. In Bagh, Camp Management Organization has announced its 
three-phased camp-closure programme starting in late March and leading 
into April. The assumption is that in both NWFP and PAK vulnerable 
people who are unable to return will require continued assistance.

SHELTER

5. Data collection for tracking of shelter-related non-food items will 
cease on 31 March, after which time it will be handled by UNJLC.

6. The assessment component of rural housing reconstruction will be 
conducted by qualified Pakistan Army engineers on a house-by-house basis 
at Union Council level, commencing on 25 March and continuing until 
mid-April. Seismic survey maps should become available to implementing 
agencies by 25 March.

FOOD AND NUTRITION

7. The general IDP camp feeding will end on 31 March. Only targeted camp 
feeding of vulnerable persons will take place on the basis of requests 
by Provincial Governments and endorsed by ERRA. General food 
distribution is also ending on 31 March. Only targeted 'Food-for-Work' 
and 'Food-for-Training' will continue at a much-reduced level. General 
hospital feeding will end on 31 March.

8. Bagh: Airlift operations for delivery of food to 11,350 beneficiaries 
in Bedhi Union Council were completed on 16 March. A total of 194 MT of 
mixed food was dispatched and distributed. Food distribution for March 
has been completed in 5 Union Councils: Budhal (13,429 beneficiaries), 
Degwar (14,489 beneficiaries), Chanjal (16,511 beneficiaries), Thub 
(23,177 beneficiaries) and Mallot (18,344 beneficiaries) with the 
exception of Sangal (20,939) where some 15 MT of wheat flour is pending 
distribution. Distribution was further completed in Bir Pani (22,417 
beneficiaries) and Rangla (22,467 beneficiaries).

9. Ghari Habibullah: 415.75 MT of food was dispatched. General food 
distribution for March was completed with the exception of Kaghan Union 
Council. March food distribution to camps has been completed.

10. Battagram: 1,025 MT of mixed food commodities were distributed to 
62,600 beneficiaries in Battagram (Allai), Mansehra (Kala Daka), 
Shangla, Kohistan and planned camps.

11. Muzaffarabad: 84% of March food commodities have been dispatched out 
of which 77% was done by road. March food distributions in camps are 
completed.

HEALTH

12. WHO is looking into alternatives to field hospitals, primary health 
care clinics and mobile clinics that are gradually phasing out. The 
Ministry of Health supported by WHO is planning to set up a disaster 
preparedness programme with the aim of strengthening the health response 
in future disasters.

13. In Bagh and Rawalakot, training on reproductive health was 
conducted, while in Muzaffarabad a refresher-training course for primary 
health care took place. Training of lady health workers and supervisors 
further aims to increase women access to health care services. A 
training course in hygiene promotion in participatory health and 
sanitation transformation methodology was conducted in Balakot. A total 
of 200 health facilitators have received training and are reporting on a 
weekly basis to the Disease Early Warning System. 160 disease outbreak 
alerts have been investigated and responded to so far. Training of 
Ministry of Health and WHO warehouse staff in logistic support system 
was conducted in Battagram.

14. To emphasize the importance of hygiene, use of safe drinking water, 
and vaccination among children, health education activities are 
currently focusing on schools. Local health education committees have 
been established to ensure ownership.

15. Two prefabricated Basic Health Units in Sanger and Jabri Kalish are 
now functional.

EDUCATION

16. Of the 449,138 primary school-level children in the affected areas, 
186,580 have been enrolled in 1,357 schools with support of UN agencies 
and NGOs.

17. As of 17 March, some 400 children who were enrolled in Maira camp 
school have returned to their home villages as part of the IDP returns 
process. The Ministry of Education and UNICEF issued departing students 
with school certificates.

18. About 700 teachers have received training in Mansehra. In Shangla, 
119 schools have been identified to receive UNICEF school materials, 
including tents, 'school-in-a-box' kits, plastic mats and recreational 
kits. In Batagram, tents for 74 primary schools were erected, bringing 
the total number of tent schools to 114 and serving a maximum of 8,000 
school children under the welcome-to-school programme. The distribution 
of 869 tents and 513 'school-in-a-box' kits is ongoing in Haveli, Bagh 
and Dhir Kot, enabling safe and appropriate learning space for over 
40,000 children.

19. UNICEF and the Department of Education in Pakistan-Administered 
Kashmir (PAK), are discussing the support required for some private 
schools that were badly affected by the earthquake.

PROTECTION

20. The Protection Cluster actively supports the IDP returns process. A 
UNHCR / World Vision / UNICEF working group has been established to 
draft an 'Aide Memoir' for IDP returns. Its aim is to guide and 
standardize the Hub role in the IDP returns process.

21. A two-day workshop for finalizing the national strategy and plan of 
action for the most vulnerable population, organized by the Ministry of 
Social Welfare with support of UNICEF, was held in Islamabad on 21 and 
22 March.

22. In Mansehra, UNICEF and its implementing partner Maqsad conducted an 
awareness campaign using puppets and theatre in ten camps from 13 to 17 
March. In addition, UNICEF handed over 9 early childhood development 
kits, 200 posters, and 1,492 cartons for 1,789 small children to 
implementing partners in 28 child-friendly spaces.

LOGISTICS

23. UNHAS funding is coming to an end very soon and US$ 24 million is 
urgently needed to maintain the helicopter "lifeline" operation until 
August 2006.

24. As a consequence of the lack of funds, a rapid reduction of the 
helicopter fleet is now taking place. The military air support will end 
on 31 March, leaving UNHAS with a total fleet of 13 aircrafts as of 1 
April. This is a total reduction of 50%.

25. Since the start of the air operations, UNHAS has airlifted 18,099 MT 
of food items, 4,901 MT of non-food items and 30,513 passengers.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS

26. Ghari Habibullah Inter-Agency radio room will be closed by the end 
of March. Telecoms installations are ongoing with deployments to 
Batagram and Banna. The first round of radio training for Islamabad 
staff is completed. Field-based radio training is ongoing with 67 staff 
trained this week.

WEATHER AND ACCESSIBILTY

27. Heavy rains and landslides continue to hamper relief efforts in 
earthquake-affected areas. Road closures due to landslides are delaying 
food dispatches and IDP returns. The spring snowmelt is expected to 
result in further landslides with even more landslides foreseen during 
the July monsoon season. It could take several months to repair and open 
primary and secondary roads.

GENERAL INFORMATION

28. All detailed cluster information (meeting minutes, assessments, 
contact information etc.) is being posted on www.un.org.pk .

29. The latest information on projects and funding for the Flash Appeal, 
and for the emergency overall, can be found on the Financial Tracking 
Service 
(http://ocha.unog.ch/fts/reports/reportlist.asp?section=CE&record_ID=688).

Further information on earthquake appeals and funding is available on 
ReliefWeb 
(http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc105?OpenForm&rc=3&emid=EQ-2005-000174-PAK).


30. Contact details of focal points for information on in-kind and cash 
contributions can be found at http://www.un.org.pk/earthquake05/ .

31. OCHA will revert with further information as it becomes available. 
This situation report, together with further information on ongoing 
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at 
http://www.reliefweb.int.

32. Regular news on Pakistan is available from IRIN via the website 
www.IRINnews.org and direct e-mail subscription. Agencies wishing to 
contribute news article suggestions, press releases and reports with 
IRIN should send them to the IRIN Asia office: IRINasia@IRINnews.org, 
Tel +90-312 454 1177.

Tel.:  +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:
  Ms. Merete Johansson, direct Tel. +41-22-9171694
  Mr. Guido Galli, direct Tel. +41-22-9173171
  Ms. Rebecca Richards, direct Tel. +41-22-917-3183

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. + 1-917 367 5126


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