ANNUAL REPORT-2006 PRESS FOR PEACE Press or Peace (PFP) envisions a world olasting peace and harmony where happiness is a natural right and misery a common adversary oevery individual. working together for the promotion of peace and prosperity in South Asia
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Press or Peace (PFP) is a Kashmir based NGO and think tank, ounded by Khawaja Zaar
Iqbal, eminent journalist and peace activist, in 1999. The PFP strives or the promotion o
peace, tolerance, interaith–harmony and protection o human rights including reedom
o press in South Asia. Ater the catastrophic earthquake in 2005, it has emerged as a dy-
namic orce which has actively involved in the humanitarian work just ew hours ater the
earthquake. The PFP proved to be a motivating orce or a huge number o volunteers in all
aected parts o Azad Kashmir.Now, PPF has become a well established and well reputed
organization .Press or Peace (PFP) has extended its network rom Azad Kashmir to Pakistan,
Indian Held Kashmir, UAE, Austria and Canada .It has also honoured and accepted world-wide, particularly or its eorts or the promotion o culture o mutual understanding and
Press or Peace (PFP) envisions a world o lasting peace and harmony where happiness is a natural right and misery a
common adversary o every individual.
Objectives The establishment o permanent peace in the region and protection o human rights with special emphasis•
on peaceul settlement o Kashmir issue through media eorts.
The achievement o inter-aith and inter-religion harmony between the people o dierent creeds, cults and•
cultures.
The struggle or the protection o women’s and children’s right through concentrated media eorts.•
The protection o the rights o minorities and work or racial indiscrimination.•
The arrangements or the proessional capacity building by providing training to media persons.•
The achievement o Press Freedom and the end o journalistic orced labour.•
The strengthening o democracy and democratic norms in government aairs by providing counseling and•
training.
The attainment o pollution ree and secure environment.•
The supremacy o wisdom and clear thought over sentimentalism and imprudence.•
The eorts or poverty alleviation and provision o opportunities or the economic boost in the underprivi•
leged and underdeveloped communities.
The propagation o sublime character and the saeguard o moral values.•
Network
Press or Peace has expanded its network rom Azad Kashmir to Pakistan, Indian Occupied Kashmir, United Arab
Emirates, England, Austria and Canada. It has also been honored and accepted worldwide. It has partnership with
NGOs and other civil society entities within country and abroad.
A Big Challenge
On 08 October 2005, at about 0852 hours, every individual and each entity was damaged by a catastrophic earth-
quake in the most parts o Azad Kashmir and ew areas o NWFP in Pakistan. For a ew moments, the lie was still. A ew
villages in the mountainous region in upper Azad Kashmir disappeared within seconds. The lie became a dream or
those who survived ater the calamity. It was a big challenge or humanity.
The devastation was beyond imagination. The earthquake ruined approximately 28,000 Square Kilo meters area in Paki-
stan and Azad Kashmir. The major destruction was in densely populated areas where the rate o death and destructionwas much higher. The most aected city in Azad Kashmir was Muzaarabad, the capital o the state and its adjacent vil-
lages. This region presented the scenes o total destruction and devastation even ater passing weeks. At this tragedy,
the Prime Minister o the state, with tears in his eyes, deplored, “I am the Prime Minister o the graveyard.
Generosity Showered
The people o the aected area can not orget all those who showered upon them their generosity and worked or
their rescue and survival. When all communication links were extinct and no clue o lie was there in the aected areas,
a ew individuals volunteered themselves or the assistance o the dying humanity. They were not worried about them-
selves and their amilies. They just thought o those who were dying in their immediate vicinity. The workers and vol-
unteers proved with their endeavors that humanitarian work does not need many resources. It is just done by compas-sionate and tender hearts. They learnt much in this regard. Today, when we look back, we do not believe that we have
done such a huge work. But, when one is honest to his work and one has no hidden motives, the humanitarian work
becomes worship and one eels that his responsibilities have increased. This becomes a guiding source and inspiration.
Within a ew hours ater the earthquake, workers o the PFP started humanitarian work at individual level.
Initially they ocused on rescue, rst aid, searching strangled individuals under the debris and providing shelter,
recovery o wounded persons and dead bodies. When everyone was in the condition o shock, PFP started work-
ing upon extreme emergency basis. With a small setup and no assets, its volunteers were determined to put the
best o the eorts. To set an example, the Chie Coordinator PFP handed over all his belongings to the aected
people who were in the dire need o relie goods.
During the recurring jolts, when everyone was worried about his own and his relatives’ saety, Khawaja Zaar Iqbal,
the ounder chie coordinator o PFP went ater the screams o severely wounded school children and recovered
a large number o them to the rst aid units. He was mad to pursue the cries o strangled and dying children. To
ollow his example, each member o the Press or Peace devoted himsel or emergency relie work.
Media Silence
For rst two days journalists and reporters in Azad Kashmir engaged themselves to the much needed rescue
work. During that period, what was reported on national and international media, it was based on rumors and
personal accounts o some o the victims in lesser-aected areas. In act, the actual scene o destruction was not
being reported in a proessional manner. At this critical time, PFP elt its responsibilities. It observed that the bestpossible humanitarian work at the time was to inorm the world about devastation o the earthquake. The chie
coordinator called an emergency meeting o the executive council. Tariq Naqash, , Mohammad Fareed-ul-hadam,
Raja Waseem Khan (the scriptwriter o this report), Asi Raza Mir,Itikhar Rana,Atab Alam,Tariq Durrani,Najam-ul-
Islam Assri, Aurangzeb Saiullah, Raq Mughal,Aslam Mir,Tanvir Tanoli,Daniyal Shehab and others attendended
the meeting. Though, every member o PFP was shattered at the occasion, they managed to gather at the debris
o a building with there wounded hearts and souls. A ew have wounds on their bodies too. Their houses were
destroyed and amily members killed.
Tears! Tears! Every where Tears.
The Human Resolve
Ater the earthquake, everyone present at the rst emergency meeting o Press or Peace decided to resume
proessional responsibilities with a renewed pledge to serve the ailing humanity and put the best o their eorts
to save the dying human beings. It was decided to immediately contact, by any means, with electronic and print
media in major cities o Pakistan. The members started contacting the media persons and media houses via a ew
private telephone lines still lying intact.
On Journalistic Front
Press or Peace observed at the occasion that unortunately, the proessional journalistic sources were totally
damaged by the earthquake. The chie co-ordinator managed to meet the emergency need o cameras, lms andtelephone sets by sel-help basis through personal contacts. It was ound that most o the communication links
with external world were non-existent and unavailable. PFP realized that rst two days media reports ocused
only the Margalla towers in Islamabad. It meant the world was unaware o the much higher destruction in the up-
per mountainous regions o Northern Pakistan.
The members o PFP made rigorous eorts to send photographs and lms o the havoc via army helicopters. Due
to non-availability o electricity, the ax service, a major tool o the reporting team was non-existent. The journal-
ists o PFP used private contacts to convey the details o tragic account the death and destruction to the media
houses. Within a ew days, PFP was the most active media entity in Muzaarabad to guide national and interna-
tional media. Later on, many established and worldly recognized media organizations acknowledged the services
o PFP.
During the earthquake, Amir-u-din Mughal Coordinator PFP who is also working or international news agency
Reuters as a photojournalist got serious injuries. But he resumed his proessional activities within a ew days. Hisimages o the destruction in aected areas drew international attention and subsequently, a multitude o national
and international donor agencies started arriving there. When these NGOs, government representatives and
individual philanthropists reached in Muzaarabad, they wanted to gain inormation and access to the worst hit
areas. The members o Press or Peace voluntarily oered their services to assist those individuals and organiza-
Shugta,Tassadaq , Waqar Hashmi, Zarrar Baloch and many others rom the university, schools and colleges.
The PFPVF’s eorts were a guiding source and inspiration or those who remained in the state o shock and helpless-
ness or the rst ew days. Resultantly, a large number o people rom every walk o lie volunteered themselves or relie
work. Press or Peace assigned them tasks according to their skills and capabilities. In order to guide and assist oreign
NGOs, journalists and survey teams o university and college students with good command over English were detailed
as interpreters.
In act, when aid workers rom dierent parts o the world reached Muzaarabad, they ound it dicult to ascertain the
scale o relie in the remote areas o upper villages o Muzaarabad and Neelum Valley. At this occasion PFP provided
them much needed guidance and awareness about these areas. Being impressed by the selfess contribution o the
volunteer orce, more and more people contacted to participate in humanitarian work. It was encouraging. The candlelights the candle. Within a ew days, the number o volunteers raised to 250 and later on more than 500.
Humanity, the Priority
When everyone was running ater the much needed relie goods or the sake o lie o his kith and kin, the members
o PFP devoted themselves to assist those unortunate amilies where no male members were let behind. The members
o PFP would collect cooked ood rom charities and distributed it among those who were in dire need o it.
Distribution o Relie Goods
Press or Peace with the assistance o other NGOs and donor agencies distributed 1000 plastic sheets, 500 burners, 852
quilts, 250 lamps, 500 sacks coal, 460 blankets (Korean), 950 packets o dates (1 kg each), 460 bundles o sweaters, 1150
shawls, 560 blankets (ordinary) in the aected amilies. More over, 22 trucks load o ood items, clothes, jackets, shoes
and other items o daily use were also distributed. PFP took care o the ego o the aected people during relie work and
humanitarian activities. During the dark hours, volunteers and central oce holders o PFP carried the relie goods on
their shoulders and distributed in the widows, hawkers, journalists and members o district administration. Beore earth-
quake, they all were well to do citizens, but now they have nothing except clothes on their bodies. Each member o PFP
voluntarily distributed the relie goods without any hidden motive o publicity or ame. PFP is an organization o selfess
devotees and zealous enthusiasts who share the common goal o reducing human miseries.
Media Relie Center Whe volunteers o PFPVF also provided meals to media persons, press clubs and bureau oces o dierent news
agencies where everyone, without caring about his own needs, was engaged in preparing and sending reports day and
night. This practice continued till the reopening o the restaurants and hotels in the city.
Establishment o Media City
Press or Peace established a media city in Chehla Bandi on emergency basis to acilitate media persons. Hotels and
restaurants were not available due to the massive destruction. This acility remained unctional or 7 months and oered
proessional acilities to media persons. Suitable arrangements o daily meals and lodging were made the PFP Media
In District Bagh, PFP team comprising o Yousa Kashmiri, Dr. Haeez, Tahir Shah, Imran Gillani, Shoukat Taimoor,
Miss Obaida, Miss Salma and others started humanitarian work on sel help basis. PFP distributed tents, blankets,
and gas cylinders, lamps and ration or the journalists and hawkers o Bagh. The organization also established a
ree medical camp in Bagh.
In District Sadhnoti, the slightly aected area, Shakeel Choudhry and Naveed Shaheen continued their eorts on
journalistic ront.
Relie Work in Rawalakot
In district Rawalakot the PFP team in the supervision o divisional coordinator, Sardar Abid Siddique started its
rescue and relie work soon ater the disaster. The Rawalakot PFP unit guided the NGOs and relie workers through
its devoted volunteers to access the most aected areas such as Singola, Ali Sojal, Hussain kot, Datote, Hornamera.
The rehabilitation o education sector was main ocus o PFP team .thereoe, books; stationary and other educa-
tional material was distributed in aected children while stipends were arranged or some university students. In
Rawalakot, members and volunteers o PFP including Rashid Nazir, Abdur Razzaq, M.Sohail, Abdur Rehman, also
acilitated international media to cover the suerings o the earthquake survivors. Moreover, divisional coordina-
tor Sardar Abid Siddique represented the district Rawalakot on dierent national orums and meetings in Lahore,Karachi and Islamabad where the problems o aectees were discussed and highlighted.
Data Collection and Survey
Press or Peace established a separate unit to collect data about orphans, widows and needy people in the a-
ected areas. The unit did a splendid job and visited tent villages in remote areas to get the required inormation.
Many International NGOs and relie organizations depended on the lists prepared by PFP to provide much-need-
ed help the aected amilies.
Education
The Education sector in Azad Kashmir was the most aected government department .The number o de-
stroyed school/college buildings was alarming. In act, the buildings made under government contracts proved
more devastating than the earthquake itsel. In many cases, the whole structure was collapsed within seconds.
Due to poor standards o constructions, a whole generation went under debris. All those students who survived
were traumatized and reused to resume their educational activities in the destroyed school buildings. This was a
natural outcome o the earthquake.
Establishment o the 1st PFP tent school
The executive council o PFP decided to establish tent schools on emergency basis. PFP members encouraged
parents to send their children to schools in order to resume normal education activities. Initially, sheltered accom-
modation being the major concern o the donor agencies the tents were not available or schooling purpose.
PFP started primary classes in the courtyard o the ruined building o daily Khabrain. The rst PFP tent school;
established upon the rubble and under the sky, was a ray o hope or many who had lost everything in the earth-
quake. The oce bearers o PFP volunteered themselves to teach the students and went door to door to motivate
the parents. Later on highly educated members o the PFPVF were appointed as teachers. Mrs. Zahida Zahir Jag-
wal volunteered hersel to look ater the matters o this school. PFP highly appreciates the services o volunteers
Waseem Khan Jadoon, Miss Farzana, Khaliquue-ur-Rehman, Sudhir Ahmad, Israr-ur-Haq Gillani and many others.
They all devoted themselves or the resumption o normal educational activities in the quake-hit areas.
More Tent Schools in Aected area
Due to growing interest o the people PFP decided to establish more tent schools in the remote villages o Mu-
zaarabad region. Miss Sumera in Lower Platte, Miss Nighat in Chehla Bandi, Miss Amna in Ambore, Miss Nishat
Mughal in Lwasi, Asi Mir in Panjgran,Jalal-ud-din in Kundal Shahi were appointed as the resource persons and in
charge o the PFP tent schools. An eminent educationist and the Chairperson o PFP Women Wing, Madam Tanvir Lati
supervised these schools. We applaud the contribution o teachers and volunteers who oered their services to bring
success to this project. 32 teachers o Press or Peace Educational Unit taught one thousand school children or more
than six months without getting and stipend or salary. The educational setup in quake hit areas was totally collapsed.
The PFP educational unit started especially prepared testing service to assess the progress made by the students ater
earthquake. All those students who appeared or tests were declared successul. PFP also managed to acquire regular
stipends or needy students. In order to impart moral and religious education, a religious school was established near
Chehla Bandi in Muzaarabad .With the generous cooperation o international organization Caritas , Czech Republic,
two earthquake resistant buildings were completed in Chehla Bandi and Kundal Shahi.The volunteers o CARITAS rom
Czech Republic also participated in the construction work despite harsh and unavourable weather. With the supporto CARITAS these 2 model schools are being urnished with latest educational equipments.
Free Coaching Centers
In order to save the precious academic year o the school children and to get them complete their syllabus, PFP
established 03 ree coaching centers. The students attended those centers or two months.
Sheltered Accommodation Program
Press or Peace started shelter program at the remote village o Punjgran, where the lie had become impossible
in tents due to heavy snowall. The volunteers o PFP headed by Asi Raza Mir carried out an arduous task o survey-
ing the area and prepared a list o those who were in urgent need o shelter. Later on the inormation gathered was
conveyed to a sister NGO o Lahore with a request to save the survivors o earthquake rom dying o cold. Shirkat Gah
responded wholeheartedly to the request o the PFP. The NGO provided sheets and other building material to ac-
commodate 800 amilies o villages Devalian, Chamba, Tatrial and Punjgran. Ahmad Raza Khan and Sajjad Ahmad, o
Shirkat Gaah, Asi Raza Mir, Ali Gohar, Asad Ali,Arshad and many other volunteers rom PFP worked day and night to
complete this program. The people in the area were already underprivileged and ater earthquake were badly in need
o the relie goods. PFP also distributed cooking utensils, ration, burners, warm clothing and shoes. This project was
unded by The World American Service and their Representative Mr.Mathew D.Emry visited the eld area and ex-
pressed satisaction on the perormance o stakeholders o the project.
Minorities and PFP
The October 08 earthquake damaged everyone. The people o every community aced death and destruction o
property. It is painul to say that when prominent humanitarian bodies and individuals started relie work, the non-
Muslim community o the aected area was ignored and let alone. It is an honour or PFP that ater earthquake rst o
all the chie coordinator PFP started eorts or minorities. He also persuaded and insisted other NGOs and humanitari-
an organizations or the much needed relie activities in the minority community. Through coordinated eorts, the PFP
succeeded in getting especial quota o relie goods rom dierent aid distributing agencies or Christian community.
Here again, the policy o respect to ego was strictly ollowed by the PFP in this community.
Installation o Peace Pole in Muzaarabad
The establishment o peace in the region and interaith harmony are the shared objective o PFP with many nation-
al and international organizations. URI is an international NGO working or interaith harmony. PFP installed a peace
symbol at Domel in Muzaarabad with the assistance o URI. URI’s Regional Chie Coordinator or South Asia Father
James chanbien and heads o all CCs o URI in Pakistan were present at the occasion. Father James Chanbien and oce
beares o PFP installed the peace pole.
Eorts or Inter Faith Harmony
In order to promote inter aith harmony between Islam and Christianity, the central oce bearers o PFP celebrated
Eid estivals with the people o Christian community in tent villages. It also invited the Christian community in Pakistanto celebrate Christmas with earthquake aected amilies in Azad Kashmir. Mr. Rashid Masih o Eternal Family and Hu-
man Resource Centre along with his team visited Muzaarabad. The PFP arranged especial unctions at this occasion.
PFP participated in humanitarian work without racial discrimination. To implement its policy o all-inclusive humanitar-
ian approach, the minorities too have their representation in PFP.
The oce bearers and members o the PFP celebrated their both Eids with aected amilies. At the occasion
o Eid-ul-Az’a, the PFP organized tableaus and comedy shows or aected children. The purpose was to provide
them an opportunity to come out o trauma. Khawaja Zaar Iqbal, Fareed-ul-Hadam and Raja Wasim Khan actively
participated in these programs. These activities were organized in the PFP tent schools.
Services or Widows and Bereaved Families
Press or Peace established a vocational training centre. The idea was to provide a place o work or widows
and needy women who had lost their male amily members in the earthquake. The center runs under supervision
o Miss Shaguta Ilyas and is patronized by Madam Tanvir Lati. The women are taught here the courses o em-
broidery, needle work, cutting and sewing, etc. The project owes much to the volunteer women. The volunteers
played an important role or uplit and betterment o the women o aected areas.
Cultural Jewellery Project
Press or Peace organized an exhibition o the locally made jewellery items prepared by the women o Neelum
Valley. A large number o women rom dierent countries and cultures visited the exhibition and praised the tal-
ent o the local women. The aected women earned a handsome amount by selling their products. The exhibition
highlighted the importance o local culture and proved an opportunity or poor women to enhance their income.
PFP has decided to introduce local made jewellery at international level. A permanent cultural centre will be
established here to provide jobs to the local women at their doorsteps.
Environmental Issues
The earthquake not only damaged the human lie and inrastructure, but also aected the natural environ-
ment. Multi storied buildings, houses and other inrastructure was converted into debris within seconds. The
stinking bodies o men and animals, heaps o garbage in the streets and absence o sanitary arrangements posedan immediate danger or human survival .In the upper parts o the region; the land was severely damaged by the
recurring jolts.
Environmental Awareness Week
With the cooperation o Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Azad Kashmir, Press or Peace organized an
“environmental awareness week”. This campaign was supervised by eminent environmentalist and co coordinator
environment wing Sahibzada Atab Alam. The PFP distributed an inormative brochure in the students o dierent
schools and colleges o the rural and urban areas. During This campaign, the importance o environmental Protec-
tion and saeguard o natural environment was highlighted through distinctive programs and meetings in rural
and urban centres, educational institutes, government oces and municipalities in districts Muzaarabad, Bagh,Rawalakot and Neelum/Jhelum valley. The speech contests were organized by the PFP to promote environmental
cognizance among the students o dierent schools/colleges and other educational instates in Gari Duppatta,
Muzaarabad, Hatian Bala and Neelum Valley. In Kundal Shahi and Kel, environmental issues were highlighted by
the eorts o this organization. Inormative pamphlets were distributed to create awareness and adopt concrete
step about hygienic conditions and environmental issues in the tent villages o Muzaarabad and adjoining areas.
The sincere and untiring eorts o Khurshd Ahmad rom WWF, Khalid Javed, Mumtaz Mughal rom Islamic Relie
made the campaign successul.
Disaster Reporting Training Workshops
PFP organized training workshop with the collaboration o UK based charity, Islamic Relie or journalists and
community workers on ‘Post disaster environmental journalism’ in Muzaarabad and Rawalakot. The objective
o the workshops was to sensitize the media persons and social workers about the environmental and hygienic
issues created by earthquake. These workshops were also participated by some journalists rom remote areas o
Neelum,Bagh Aabbaspur and Palendri. A renown journalist rom Austeria Miss Eva Maria Teja was specially invited