The major point of devastation was Muzaffarabad, a bustling town in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir where 70 percent of the local population was killed. In some places, towns were decimated, buried under landslides and many families perished. Muzaffarabad suffered severe destruction and the town of Balakot in Pakhtunkhwa Province was completely buried. This unprecedented earthquake took some 86,000 lives; over 100,000 were injured and 3.6 million people became homeless.In the aftermath, an amazing comradeship was witnessed as both India and Pakistan dropped their hostilities over Kashmir and cooperated in relief. Five crossing points were opened on the Line of Control between the two countries to facilitate humanitarian and medical aid flow. Several foreign Search and Rescue (SAR) teams participated and the US Army and Air-force undertook massive relief operation in collaboration with Pakistan and India.
The Government of Pakistan moved swiftly, within hours of the calamity. For early response a military command was set up and army medical corps, engineers and aviation experts, supported by large military infantry units were quickly on the ground. The command structure was headed by an army general, appointed by President General Parvez Musharraf, and reported directly to the President and the Prime Minister's Office. Foreign relief was coordinated by the command and control structure and the relief warehouse was set up in Mansherra, a town between Pakhtunkhwa Province and Muzaffarabad.
The organization and management structure to deal with earthquake emergency, reconstruction and rehabilitation was organized under army which was mobilized forthwith. The initial response was in line with Command and Control Structure, and this mechanism was both effective and efficient. The United Nations Systems, foreign and local NGOs collaborated with the army in response. A large number of foreign SAR teams arrived within few hours and some stayed until the job was done.
I was able to mobilize tents and tarpaulins from local warehouse and coordinated UN assistance in the initial days. UNHCR was on the ground in less than 48 hours with military support. The devastation was so widespread that the real extent of destruction became clear only after 10 days after the earthquake. I gained important lessons from this experience and some of these could be useful for Nepal.
As mentioned above, the Pakistan Government had appointed a competent Army General who reported directly to the Chief Executive (The President). His job was to streamline aid delivery, bureaucratic hold ups, visa process and establish one-stop coordinating body. Thereafter, the Pakistan Army swiftly mobilized resources and took charge (there was no need to go through civil administration). The military command center, set up at a strategic location near quake affected area, coordinated SAR and deployment of relief supplies. When foreign SAR teams arrived through Islamabad airport, they were sent straight to affected sites via the command center.
The donor pledge was used by the authority, called "Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority", established for the purpose. Also, UN Country Team at Islamabad was set up and began coordinating with the Army. Goods and personnel were given unrestricted access to the affected areas and relief items were distributed by army, NGOs and other agencies working in affected areas. Local governments were to follow Military Command and Control (it meant no interference by political parties).
World Food Program, UN logistic cluster lead, located at the Islamabad airport, coordinated relief personnel and materials. Warehouses were set up at strategic locations to receive relief supplies which were then taken to outlying villages by helicopters and small trucks. UN system had a large country staff and most were temporarily deployed to affected areas. Subsequently, more UN staffs were recruited for rehabilitation and reconstruction. No political party was involved; all was managed by the Army Command.
This experience proves that a separate but competent organization headed by an individual (not affiliated with any political party) who directly reports to the Prime Minister and cuts across all bureaucracy is needed in Nepal. Collaboration with UN system, international and local NGOs is vital for project implementation. This is important because government bureaucrats not always grasp the scale of devastation and they are not trained for such unprecedented tasks.
A separate reconstruction and rehabilitation fund, managed by Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (not any Ministry or Planning Commission) should be set up and financial support requested through a round-table donor conference. This will restore donor confidence, for Nepal is facing serious crisis of confidence as it slips down the Corruption Perception Index. Experience tells me it is not earthquakes that take lives but the buildings we have constructed. Those among us who cannot comprehend the urgency with which relief efforts should be handled are better bypassed.
The author has worked as international civil servant for over 35 years in several countries of Asia, Africa and Europe. He is now retired from UN service.
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