Quake response

The November 26 earthquake caused extensive damage to life and property in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some areas of Gilgit-Baltistan. Unfortunately, our rescue and rehabilitation response was found lacking.
It is time we learnt to be better prepared for any natural disaster in the future. The NDMA should have its own resources in the form of heavy clearing machinery, helicopters, vehicles and other items like tents, blankets, etc, positioned at vital choke points in northern areas of KP, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK. They should have focal persons at the UC, tehsil and district levels to liaise relief work with provincial authorities. And either Erra should be done away with or merged with the NDMA or the PDMA.
Air-Cdre (r) Mohammad Yaqoob Khan
Rawalpindi