More than 7,000 homes were destroyed by the earthquake, which struck three Paktika districts….reports Asian Lite News
Earthquake victims in Afghanistan’s Paktika are still struggling a year later.
As per TOLO News, it has been a year since the devastating earthquake that hit Paktika province and left more than 400 people dead and nearly 1,700 injured.
More than 7,000 homes were destroyed by the earthquake, which struck three Paktika districts.
As per official figures, there are presently up to 5,000 families living in tents and caves.
Sakhi Marjan, a resident of the Gayan district of Paktika, “It has been a long time since we have been living in a tent. We ask them to build houses for us or give us money, we will build them by ourselves.”
“We are left to take care of the orphans, we don’t have a house, UNHCR still hasn’t built us a house,” said Fazlur Rahman, a resident of Gayan district.
Some earthquake victims said that in spite of pledges and millions of dollars in aid, they still lack access to food, clean water, and medical care, as per TOLO News.
They asked the officials of the Islamic Emirate and humanitarian institutions to fulfil their promises.
Abdul Munir, a resident of the Gayan district, said: “We ask them to build this road for us; roads are destroyed, and we cannot drive and pass through with ease.”
Physicians in the Gayan district said that as the weather warms up, malnutrition and TB infections have grown among children and women in the district. Up to 20 children and women go to health centres every day.
Paktika province’s governor, Faizullah Jamal, said 2,500 homes are now being built, some of which have already been finished.
“We are trying to attract the help of international organizations in all districts including Gayan, Barmal, and Zirok districts,” Jamal told TOLO News.
A devastating earthquake that hit the Paktika districts of Gayan and Barmal one year ago today left 406 people dead and 1,685 injured.
Taliban recognition not in sight
The US has said that recognition of the Taliban depends on the behaviour of the Taliban leaders towards Afghan women, Khaama Press reported.
Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Vedant Patel said that if Taliban authorities do not respect women’s rights, they will not only make Afghanistan fall behind but also undermine the international legitimacy of this country.
Patel said that not only is the Taliban holding Afghanistan’s future back, but they also continue to stand in the way of their desire for international acceptance and legitimacy.
Meanwhile, the UN special envoy for Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva has said that the “April 5 restrictions against the Afghan women working for the United Nations places a question mark over our activities across the country,” TOLO News reported.
TOLO News is an Afghan news channel broadcasting from Kabul.
She said the Taliban gave no explanation to the UN for the ban.”We have been given no explanation by the de facto authorities for this ban and assurances that it will be lifted.”
Otunbayeva while speaking at the UN Security Council’s Meeting on the situation in Afghanistan, said that the UN does not want to put the lives of its female staff at risk and therefore asked them to not report to the office and also asked the male staff to stay home to respect non-discrimination. (ANI)