AJK President Sardar Masood Khan Thursday said the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) always gave top priority to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and not only launched public welfare projects there but also played role in sensitising the masses to the hazards and challenges posed by different natural and manmade disasters.
Addressing the launching ceremony of ‘Vulnerability to Resilience’ project here, Sardar Masood assured the PRCS of the AJK government’s full cooperation to extend the development schemes to all parts of the region.
The project has been launched in Neelum, Jhelum, Sadhnoti and Bagh districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking on the occasion, PRCS Chairman Dr Saeed Elahi said the project will create more jobs for the unemployed people in the four districts. Construction of paved paths and check dams, storage of water and its supply, tree plantation campaigns, upkeep of basic healthcare units and primary schools, and conservation of land are part of the project.
“The PRCS always lived up to its reputation of being the first to respond during any natural or manmade disaster in AJK. Be it the devastating quake of 2005 or the floods of 2010, the PRCS officials and the trained force of volunteers rushed to the help of the affected people and spared no effort to help them get back on their own feet. Today’s ceremony speaks volumes for the fact that the AJK and PRCS are part and parcel of each other,” the chairman said.
PRCS AJK Branch Chairman Sardar Mehmood Khan said the ‘Vulnerability to Resilience’ project launched in collaboration with the National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) will change the destiny of the people of four districts. He said the PRCS AJK Branch will extend every possible help and assistance in this regard.
PRCS Secretary General Khalid Bin Majeed said the organisation has been long working almost all over the AJK for the welfare of people. He said the PRCS has recently completed a development project in Sarli Sacha, benefiting hundreds of people, while the victims of firing and shelling in areas close to the Line of Control (LoC) keep getting first aid and food ration and other nonfood items. “A few months back the National Headquarters handed over five ambulances to the AJK government for transportation of sick people and those killed or injured in the LoC firing. This Ramazan ration was also distributed among the deserving in AJK. The National Headquarters is also making sincere efforts to strengthen the PRCS AJK Branch,” he added.
Khalid Bin Majeed said the project will benefit 160 villages in 16 union councils (UCs) of the four districts, benefitting around 300,000 people. Program Manager Climate Change Shahid Kazmi gave a comprehensive briefing on the project.
PRCS State Branch Secretary Raja Shoaib, NDRMF GM Khurram Khaliq Khan, IFRC Head of Delegation Thomas Gutner and others also spoke on the occasion. It is pertinent to mention here that the PRCS and National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) recently signed the historic ‘Vulnerability to Resilience Agreement’ at the NDRMF Secretariat in May this year.
