1. Security
2. Air Operations
3. Customs and Immigration
4. Roads
5. Logistics
6. Civil Military Logs
7. NFI Pipeline
8. Warehousing
9. Market Survey
10. Other Information

1.    SECURITY

General

A suicide bombing in Karachi killed at least 57 people at a Sunni religious gathering on April 11th. 

• Demonstrations against the bombing are resulting in travel restrictions for UN staff. 
• On April 14th, UN staff were advised to avoid all gathering and procession areas between 1300 and 1730 hrs.

Bagh
There have been frequent demonstrations in Bagh over Government compensation for earthquake victims.

• These protests have not been directed at the humanitarian community, however as a precaution UN and NGO staff working in the area have been warned to stay clear of the demonstration areas.

Public service strikes over a wage dispute are continuing throughout AJK.

Batagram
There was a peaceful religious procession in Mansehra on April 11th.

UNDSS has banned travel on April 14th due to the potential for unrest following Tuesday's bomb blast in Karachi.

Local protests over certain items distributed by UNICEF have now calmed.

• UNICEF vehicles are now back on the road.

Demonstrations have taken place in Besham over Government compensation for earthquake victims.

• The protests, which began in Bagh, now appear to be spreading across the affected area.

The April 4th earthquake in Batagram severely damaged the building where the majority of local UN organisations shared office space.

• The building is considered unsafe and has been evacuated. All operations are currently being run from the UN tented base camp.
• In line with many other agencies, UNJLC will be moving its field representative for the area to Mansehra.
• The UNICEF and UNHCR office buildings were also damaged by the earthquake.

Muzaffarabad
Operations on Friday April 14th have been curtailed by UNDSS due to a perceived security risk.

Incidents of tyre burning were reported during a political protest.

2.    AIR OPERATIONS

General
UNHAS is in the process of cancelling further helicopter contracts due to a shortfall in funding.

• Unless more funds are released, the UNHAS fleet will be reduced to only 4 Mi-8s as of May 4th.
• Passenger flights will continue but on a reduced schedule. Partial cost recovery for passenger flights will be implemented as of May 1st.
• Special flights will be implemented on a full cost recovery basis.
• Cargo flights will continue but at severely reduced capacity.
• If this situation continues, UNHAS may be forced to cease operations in Pakistan in June. Agencies and NGOs requiring cargo and passenger transport are encouraged to contact UNHAS as soon as possible with their projections.

All UNHAS passenger and cargo flights were cancelled on Monday, April 10th due to alleged violations of the Line of Control.

• Flights have now resumed, however requests must be filed for operations to all locations within 10 km of the LoC. These are cleared on a case by case basis.
• Merlin is still being denied authorisation to fly to its medical facility at Chilehana.

The Merlin Mi-8 is contracted for 50 hours a month. Merlin is currently not using all these hours and would be willing to consider requests from other organisations.

• Requests for flights in the Neelum valley would take first priority.

Bagh
UNICEF had to defer a post-return monitoring trip to Bedhi due to cancelled flights.

An air operation into Azad Bara is being planned due to continued road inaccessibility.

Batagram
No NFI cargo requests have been received at Chatterplain for the last 10 days.

Muzaffarabad
UNHAS is refueling its Muzaffarabad flights out of Abbottabad due to the closure of the former US Military fuel farm.

• Merlin has now established its own refueling arrangements.

3.    CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION

Nothing further to report

4.    ROADS

General
UNJLC field staff are continuing road assessments to collect priority road GPS data and assist in transport requirements.

• For maps and detailed road assessments go to www.unjlc.org/pakistan.
• For the latest road status updates and corresponding maps, see www.unjlc.org/pakistan.

Bagh

• Heavy rain over last weekend caused many landslides and closures.
• 2/3 of the Lasdanna to Haji Pir road has now been cleared and the road is expected to be open in about a week.

Batagram
Heavy rain on April 8th and 9th caused numerous landslides in the area. UNDSS placed all outlying areas out of bounds to UN personnel until the weather situation stabilised.

• The KKH was blocked for 36 hours before it could be cleared by the Pakistan Military.
• Road conditions are now improving in line with the weather.

A fresh landslide 5 km from the Pashto Kalai junction has blocked the route from Bana to Jangrai.

UNJLC has completed road assessments on the routes from Abbottabad to Chukli and Bana to Ganter.

Muzaffarabad
Last weekend's rain caused a rapid deterioration in road conditions and many routes remain unstable.

• The Jheelum valley road is closed after Hattian.
• The Bagh and Neelum valley roads are Red No Go.
• The Lipa valley rod is closed after Lamnian.

UNJLC has completed an assessment on the road from Bheri to Machiara.

• Landslips have rendered the original Bheri road very dangerous.

6.    LOGISTICS

General
IOM has announced that due to insufficient funds, it will no longer be able to offer free cargo trucking as of April 14th.

• This will have a severe impact on cargo movement over the coming period.
• ATLAS Logistique will continue to provide free road transportation but are restricted by their funding. They are examining the issue and will shortly advise how much and under what criteria they can absorb this additional demand.

According to guidelines from their donor, ATLAS cannot accept shipments of reconstruction material.

• While awaiting clarification it is recommended that organizations not already using the ATLAS network make their own road transport arrangements over the coming days. UNJLC will continue to accept cargo movement requests in the interim.
• A UNJLC survey of trucking prices will be published on the website early next week.

ERRA is still considering approval for UN and NGO projects. Without ERRA approval UN agencies and NGOs cannot seek funding, leading to a considerable slowdown in operations.

• One impact of this is a marked drop in cargo to move. By the time funding is approved and reconstruction goods arrive, air support to inaccessible areas may no longer be available.
• Because its planned projects have not yet been approved, UNOPS will be forced to cease operations as of April 20th.

This will severely affect road assessment capacity, road clearance work, the transport of construction materials and labour teams to inaccessible areas, assistance with IDP returns along dangerous routes and post-returns monitoring.

IDP returns were slowed over the last week due to inclement weather and dangerous road conditions.

Bagh
UNOPS reconnaissance teams have ceased guide support for IDP movements.

• UNOPS rubble clearers are still continuing operations.

Approximately 300 returnees have been moved over the last week.

The RTF cluster will no longer be offering IDP transport to Azad Bara due to the hazardous walk from the road to the village. Returns to this area will now be left until last.

• Shelter kits will be flown into the area in preparation.

ARC are planning to transport 1800 goats into the areas of return.

Batagram
UNOPS left Batagram on April 9th.

IOM has downsized with only a small number of operational staff remaining in Batagram.

The decommissioning of IDP camps is in its final stages.

• Most of the land used by the camps has now been returned to its owners, with some already under cultivation.

The Meira Camp has been designated for all residual IDP caseload in the Batagram area.

• This decision has not yet been implemented due to questions from agencies and NGOs over the site's suitability.
• Approximately 200 families are anticipated in total.
• UN organisations, camp management and district authorities are trying to find individual and local solutions for these families.

All clusters have agreed to adopt a 'community approach' in assessing priority needs to alleviate social inequality and tension in the places of origin.

Details of local returns are as follows. (Source: OCHA)

BATAGRAM AREA OF OPERATION
Total # of IDP Families    3,648   
Returned to Date    3,367   
Residual Caseload    281    Meira = 143
Battera = 138

* Data per family, based on an earthquake response utilized standard of six (6) persons per family;
* Data as per UNHCR records as at COB on 13-April-06;
* Residual caseload with 'legal' issues to be advised/assisted by NRC;
* UNICEF is monitoring 10% of Returnees in their place of origin;
* Returns 100% complete(excluding Residual Caseload).

Muzaffarabad
Logistics monitoring is being carried out for the return of IDPs to Lipa.

• Findings were that some drivers had no experience of mountain driving, many of the 4x4s used had bald tires, and the schedule brought IDPs to Reshian until late afternoon, leaving them to navigate the avalanche debris in the dark.

7.    CIVIL-MILITARY LOGS

Nothing further to report

8. NFI PIPELINE

General
From mid-December 2005 to March 31st 2006, UNJLC was using the LSS (Logistics Supply System) to compile pipeline data from agencies and NGOs participating in the humanitarian operation. The goal of this project was to provide an overview of NFI data and provide for forward planning.

• UNJLC has now published the incoming/on order data as of April 12th and stock balance and cumulative distribution data to the end of March. Air/road tonnage maps from October 05 to end March 06 have also been released.
• The UNJLC LSS interagency pipeline tracking project has now ceased in line with the transition from relief to recovery.
• All final LSS figures and products compiled by UNJLC are published on the UNJLC website. These can be found at www.unjlc.org/pakistan/supply_chain/.

Batagram
The major INGOs in the Batagram area (AO, STC-US, CARE, NRC, Oxfam and Solidarite) appear to have little in the way of incoming items due to the transition from relief to reconstruction.

• The recovery phase of many of these programs will primarily constitute livelihood assistance such as cash-for-work projects and health and hygiene promotion activities.

9. WAREHOUSING

Bagh
The Pakistan Army is now keeping one of the two 7x9 temporary warehouses formerly at the helipad.

• The other warehouse has now been taken over by MSF.

Batagram
WFP is ready to assist those seeking storage space. This extends to the district administration should a consolidated contingency stock be required.

• WFP will work to written requests from the UN Agencies and INGOs.  No such requests have been received to date.

Muzaffarabad
WFP warehouses are currently full and UNDP, UNICEF and Save the Children are all looking for extra storage.

• This could cause problems for storing contingency and construction materials.

10. COMMODITY AVAILABILITY

General
For details of suppliers in the affected area see the UNJLC yellow pages at www.unjlc.org/pakistan.

11. OTHER INFORMATION

Batagram
As of April 17th, the area UNJLC representative will be based in Mansehra.

Bagh
A request to extend the Bagh base camp past May 15th has been submitted.

• UNICEF is looking at an alternative site in case approval is not granted