Saturday, November 19 2005 18:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: With India helping Pakistan in quake relief efforts, President Pervez Musharraf today (Nov 19, 2005) said the tragedy has offered an 'opportunity of lifetime' to resolve the Kashmir issue together 'once for all' which, he remarked, could be New Delhi's 'donation to Kashmir'.

Making India-Pakistan ties an important component of his keynote address to the international donors' meet here to mobilize funds for reconstruction of quake-hit areas of Pakistan and PoK, Musharraf turned to Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahmad, representing India at the conference, and made an emotional appeal for peace between the two countries.

Knowing very well an Indian delegate is sitting here. The earthquake has created a unique feeling of togetherness, of an urge to help each other within people of Kashmir on both sides of LoC and more than that within the people of India and Pakistan. Their urge to help each other on a country basis.

"Therefore, I sincerely and genuinely believe that the challenge of this earthquake can be converted into an opportunity of lifetime which was never available to India and Pakistan to improve relations," Musharraf said.

"(I) take this opportunity and forum to appeal to the President and Prime Minister of India, to the Government of India, to entire opposition in India, to the people of India at large and business community of India and more than anybody else I appeal to the media in India and also Pakistan, the Government of Indian-held Kashmir, APHC (Hurriyat Conference) and other Kashmiri groups, let us together solve the Kashmir dispute once for all," he said.

Musharraf said that 'fleeting opportunities do not come everyday. If leaders fail to grasp fleeting opportunities, they fail their nations and fail their people.'

"Therefore, let success and happiness emerge from the ruins of this catastrophe, for the devastated people of Kashmir, let this be the Indian donation to Kashmir," he told the meet attended by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and representatives of over 50 countries and international financial institutions.

While welcoming the delegates during his address, the General said, "I would specially single out representation of India today sitting in our midst."

"Thank you very much for coming," he said while turning towards Ahmad and the Indian delegation.

Also, while talking about plans to rebuild quake-affected areas, Musharraf said the Indian steel industry could take part in the reconstructing efforts by providing corrugated sheets in a big way.

"We will import from anywhere. I know that India has promised 25 million dollars (for reconstruction). They have a big steel industry. Why not get corrugated sheets which is the mainstay of accommodation from your country," he told the Indian minister.

India, besides sending over 1300 tonnes of relief material like tents, blankets and food for quake victims, had pledged 25 million dollars in kind for the reconstruction at last month's UN Conference in Geneva.

Musharraf said after a study, Pakistan Government and the global agencies like World Bank and Asian Development Bank have jointly agreed that the cost of the reconstruction would be around US$ 5.2 billion in the quake-hit PoK and NWFP where over 73,000 people were killed.

'Buildings destroyed in the quake would be reconstructed'

Musharraf said a total of four lakh houses along with hundreds of schools, college, hospitals and a University in PoK capital Muzafabarabad, which were destroyed in the October 8 quake, would be reconstructed along with roads and telecommunication.

While seeking international donations, Musharraf promised transparency and provision for foreign auditing of the money spent. He appealed to the donors to make cash payments in the President's Relief Fund to ensure that there is no disparity and houses are constructed in line with the requirements of the areas.

Dispelling criticism, he said his Government's response to the quake was swift with army deploying its helicopters for rescue and relief operations on the same day to evacuate the injured as well as to clear the roads blocked by landslides.

Army also deployed 50,000 troops in the days that followed to carry out the relief and rescue operation.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz presented before the conference a detailed account of loss of life and widespread damage to economic assets, infrastructure, social services delivery and administrative machinery.

He said Pakistan, with the help of the UN and multilateral institutions, prepared an assessment report, which shows that it would need US$ 5.2 billion. These include US$ 1.7 billion for relief, early recovery and restoration of livelihood and 3.5 billion for rebuilding of the social and physical infrastructure as well as restoration of economic sector.

The conference was an al-official affair as opposition parties, including Islamic alliance Muttahida Majlis-e Amal (MMA), stayed away from it, alleging that army was controlling all relief and rehabilitation activities, and not the civilian agencies.