US embassy cable - 05ISLAMABAD15316

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 ISLAMABAD 015316 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/12/2015 
TAGS: AEMR, ASEC, EAID, MASS, PGOV, PREL, PK, Earthquake 
SUBJECT: TFPK01 - PAKISTAN EARTHQUAKE: RELIEF OPERATIONS 
UNDERWAY 
 
REF: A. (A) HUNT/TASKFORCE E-MAIL 10/12/05 
     B. (B) ISLAMABAD 15278 AND PREVIOUS NOTAL 
 
1. (SBU) Summary and introduction: Relief supplies and 
assistance teams are beginning to reach affected areas even 
as transportation remains a serious on-going problem.  There 
is great concern that deteriorating weather conditions -- 
snow has already begun falling in parts of Kashmir -- may 
exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.  Emergency shelter 
remains a top, largely unmet priority.  Raids of relief 
convoys and distribution centers by locals in the earthquake 
zone demonstrate growing frustration with delays in provision 
of supplies.  The GOP coordination effort remains hampered by 
a hierarchical structure and failure to adopt an open 
engagement policy with donors.  Public sentiment nationwide 
continues to shift against the Government of Pakistan (GOP), 
as images of human suffering bombard the media.  Criticism of 
international relief efforts is growing with public figures 
chastising the lack of airlift support and the lack of 
response from Muslim countries.  President Musharraf took 
advantage of Secretary Rice's October 12 visit to Pakistan to 
publicly thank the U.S. for its generosity and steadfastness 
as Pakistan faces this major crisis.  The Secretary assured 
the President and the people of Pakistan that the U.S. would 
provide both immediate relief assistance and long-term 
reconstruction support.  End summary and introduction. 
 
GOP Efforts 
----------- 
 
2. (U) The Pakistan military remains the focal point for 
relief operations and continues to transport relief supplies 
and humanitarian teams to the worst-affected areas.  Limited 
airlift capability (essential to reach many remote areas), 
crowded roads, and attacks on relief convoys by frustrated 
victims continue to hamper this process.  Military and 
civilian officials remain concerned about inadequate stocks 
of tents and plastic sheeting for temporary shelter in 
impacted areas.  With winter approaching, there is a real 
concern that deteriorating weather conditions could further 
imperil earthquake survivors.  Police and civilian medical 
personnel have been detailed from unaffected areas of the 
country to support military relief operations, although 
shortages in certain areas such as surgeons and paramedics 
reportedly remain.  Collection of domestic funds and relief 
supplies continues with reasonable success.  Relief supplies 
collected by district government in unaffected areas are 
making their way to Islamabad for onward distribution.  Many 
organizations are channeling contributions to the President's 
Relief Fund.  The exception to this rule has been political 
parties, many of which have established their own collection 
drives. 
 
3. (C) A 29-member Federal Earthquake Relief Cell, located in 
the Prime Minister's Secretariat and chaired by MG Farooq 
Ahmed Khan, comprises of all relevant sectors of the civilian 
and military bureaucracies.  The cell is intended to be the 
nucleus of the central civil-military operations center for 
which post and other donors have been pressing.  The GOP has 
declined, however, to convene this cell in a central location 
to allow donors periodic access to the members.  Donors must 
instead liaise individually with the designated sectoral 
points of contact.  Decision-making on assistance proposals 
remains hierarchical, with proposals reviewed during a daily 
0900 meeting of the cell.  Those given preliminary approval 
will be referred to more senior decision-making levels. 
Despite the Embassy's urging, the GOP has not adopted  a 
collaborative, on-the-spot decision-making model.  The Prime 
Minister's Office, however, has welcomed regular engagement 
with the USG on relief efforts, establishing a daily 1100 
meeting with Embassy liaisons to discuss and coordinate 
relief operations.  (Comment:  This level of engagement will 
not get the job done. Post's designated interlocutor at these 
1100 meetings,  Additional Secretary Imtiaz, has so far 
failed to respond to any of the proposals or questions put 
forward by our liaisons.  DCM and Embassy liaisons met with 
MG Farooq after COB October 12th to raise our concerns about 
the need for better communication from the GOP on matching 
USG resources to the GOP's needs.  MG Farooq offered the 
Embassy direct access to his deputy -- also a Gen. Farooq -- 
who offered to join the edaily 1100 meetings.  End comment.) 
 
USG Relief Efforts 
------------------ 
 
4. (C) DOD continues to deliver regular supplies of tents, 
medical supplies, water, and meals ready-to-eat through 
Chaklala airbase in Islamabad.  The schedule of twice daily 
C-17 and C-130 flights will need to continue for the 
foreseeable future, although the Office of Defense 
Representative - Pakistan (ODRP) is working with Pakistani 
military to improve airfield efficiency so that more flights 
can get in each day.  Post has e-mailed ODRP reports of daily 
operations directly to Department's Task Force-1. 
 
5. (SBU) The Ministry of Health has agreed to accept three 
(3) U.S. military field hospitals for the duration of the 
crisis, including staffing assistance from U.S. military 
personnel.  While the GOP has yet to identify specific 
personnel needs, the Ministry of Health believes that 
surgeons and paramedics top the list of those specialties 
required.  The Prime Minister's Office has promised to 
provide a list of priority deployment sites likely on October 
13.  The GOP recognizes that there is a 4-5 day 
ship-deliver-operation lag time on these items. 
 
6. (U) The USAID/DART team is now in-country following flight 
delays and is up-and-running.  All assistance items provided 
in the initial USAID airlift have been distributed through 
Save the Children.  Post believes that it is essential for 
USAID to identify and provide additional assistance on a 
priority basis in order to increase the civilian side of USG 
earthquake relief.  DART anticipates arrival in coming days 
of a second cargo flight of relief supplies, including 1500 
tents, 5000 blankets, plastic sheeting, WHO health kits 
designed to serve 100,000 patients, two water treatment units 
and 5000 water containers; USAID has also transferred USD 9.3 
million in response to the UN Flash Appeal and has increased 
the grant to the IFRC to USD 2 million. 
 
Corporate Donations 
------------------- 
 
7. (SBU)  Each of the sixty members of the American Busines 
Council in Karachi will contribute Rupees 100,000 (a total of 
approximately USD 100,000).  Many members are making 
additional contributions through their U.S. headquarters or 
foundations, including Citibank (USD 4 million), Coca-Cola 
(USD 2 million), Boeing (USD 1 million), Pfizer (USD 1 
million), Caltex (USD 300,000), IBM (USD 50,000) and El Paso 
Energy (USD 50,000).  Other firms are making in-kind 
contributions:  medical supplies (Abbott Labs, Johnson and 
Johnson, Becton Dickinson, Pfizer), tents (Gillette), food 
(Sheraton) and software support (IBM).   Proctor and Gamble 
(which manufactures PuR water purification sachets in 
Pakistan for worldwide distribution) has given 500,000 
sachets to NGOs for distribution in affected areas.  (Note: 
Please protect information on these donations, as several of 
these companies have not yet made public announcements.  End 
note.) 
 
USG Distribution Support 
------------------------ 
 
8. (U) Distribution of relief supplies by air is critical in 
isolated parts of Kashmir and NWFP.  USG military air assets 
in-country consist of 5 CH-57s and 3 UH-60s (as of 1200 
October 12).  Four (4) MI-17s from the Afghan National Army, 
which flew ten sorties on October 12.  These air assets are 
supplemented by the Joint Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS) - 
Ministry of Interior Air Wing consisting of 5 UH-60s.  All 
air assets have been fully committed ferrying relief supplies 
and teams during daylight hours on October 11 and 12. 
Mission priorities are determined by the Pakistan military. 
Fixed wing air traffic control and aircraft support are being 
provided by a self-contained team deployed from McGuire AFB 
now operational at Chaklala Air Base.  Pakistan military is 
considering nighttime operation of rotary-wing aircraft. 
There is also discussion of establishing a second operations 
base for U.S. rotary wing aircraft at PAF Minhas. 
 
9. (C) GOP continues to seek additional helicopter support 
from the USG.  Twenty (20) CH-47 helicopters are scheduled to 
arrive at Baghram in approximately two days for deployment in 
Pakistan within a week.  ODRP, in coordination with CENTCOM 
and CFC-A, is considering other sources of helo support to 
propose to the PAF, including four (4) State Department/INL 
MI-17s in Afghanistan and Tajikistan national MI-17s. 
 
10. (C) During his October 12 meeting with CFC-A LTG 
Eikenberry, VCOAS Hayat agreed to ODRP's proposal to air drop 
rations into remote areas not presently accessible by road. 
High population density in some areas will complicate 
planning and force protection; drops will be possible only in 
areas where the Pakistan military has sufficient personnel on 
the ground to clear a drop site.  Planning for these missions 
is underway; missions could begin as early as October 13. 
 
Public Perception 
----------------- 
 
11. (U) Public anger over the GOP's perceived inability to 
meet humanitarian needs in the affected areas continues to 
grow.  There appears to be a widespread belief that the GOP 
is not doing enough to ensure expeditious delivery of relief 
supplies.  This sentiment is fueled by media reporting, 
interviews, and photographs displaying clearly-suffering 
individuals in the assistance zones.  In affected areas, 
frustrated individuals have attacked and looted relief 
convoys and distribution centers and have attempted to 
forcibly board relief aircraft with the objective of 
evacuation.  Public figures have also initiated criticism of 
international relief efforts, calling for additional 
helicopters to support air lift operations.  Some 
commentators also took Muslim countries, in particular, to 
task for failing to respond rapidly and sufficiently. 
 
12. (U)  Mindful of public frustrations, President Musharraf 
took advantage of the press presence at the top of his 
October 12 meeting with Secretary Rice to praise the strong 
U.S. response to Pakistan's appeal for international 
assistance.  (Note:  Full reporting of the Secretary's 
meetings in Pakistan will be forwarded septel.  End note.) 
He thanked the United States for its pledge of an initial USD 
50 million in relief and reconstruction assistance, noting 
that he highlights U.S. air lift and material support when 
travels to affected areas of Kashmir and NWFP.  The Secretary 
assured the President that the U.S. would support the 
Pakistani people through this crisis, starting with emergency 
relief and continuing through long-term reconstruction of the 
devastated regions. 
CROCKER