Rs250bn flow for reconstruction to boost economy: Musharraf criticizes opposition’s stand
By Iftikhar A. Khan
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: President General Pervez Musharraf said on Wednesday that the funds pledged at the donors’ conference would be used for bolstering the quality of life as the government did not only want to restore the devastated infrastructure, but to pursue a need-based strategy.
Addressing a ceremony marking the launch of the National Volunteers Movement, the president said that the injection of a hefty Rs250 billion into reconstruction work would help bolster economic activity in the country.
He announced Rs150,000 each for rebuilding over 400,000 houses destroyed by the quake.
“This will surely be helpful in mitigating the sufferings of people in the 28,000sq-km mountainous region of NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.”
He said that under the owner-based strategy for reconstruction of houses the government would extend an additional Rs25,000 to people aimed at raising houses in conformity with standards of quake-proof structures.
Gen Musharraf said that the opposition had tried to sabotage the donors’ conference. He criticized the opposition for not attending the conference convened to draw the international community’s attention to the requirement of funds for relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation, thereby trying to make it a flop show.
He, however, pointed out that with the blessings of Allah Almighty the conference had proved to be a big success as the assistance pledged at it was more than expectations.
The president stressed that participation of 85 countries in the conference and the generosity demonstrated by them was a manifestation of the international trust in Pakistan’s commitment to transparency and honesty as well as its elevated status among the comity of nations.
He extended gratitude to the world community for its generosity and hoped that the assistance would continue in the days ahead.
He called upon professionals, particularly engineers and doctors, to assist in the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.
He said the enormous challenge of rebuilding could only be achieved with the coordinated efforts of the government, the nation and volunteers.
Gen Musharraf asked the volunteers to fan out in the far-flung and difficult terrain in small groups with army teams to extend technical advice and assistance to people to rebuild their houses.
He said there was a need to reconstruct 400,000 houses across the devastated regions to rehabilitate 2.5 million people.
He held out the assurance that a high degree of transparency would be maintained in utilization of funds and said that all relevant information would be available on the website, which is to go online shortly.
PM’s SPEECH: In his address, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said that donations had touched US$6.1 billion.
He hoped that the National Volunteer Movement (NVM) would help channelize the unity and passion of the nation towards rehabilitating the quake victims.
“It is a historic and very important day for us, we are going to begin a new journey today,” he said.
Referring to the devastation caused by the quake, he said: “The infrastructure, buildings, schools, colleges and hospitals that took years to build were razed to the ground within seconds.”
But, he added, the spirit with which the nation responded to the tragedy was unmatched in the country’s history.
“It is a long journey in which we all have to show commitment, unity and determination to help the affected,” said the premier about the reconstruction phase.
President Musharraf will be NVM’s patron-in-chief and special assistant to prime minister Mohammed Ali Durrani its chairman.
The NVM will be assisted by a ‘national council’ under the prime minister and members of the cabinet as its members.
Earlier, the president administered oath to the first batch of 1,700 volunteers, comprising boy scouts, girl guides and students.
APP ADDS: President Musharraf, commenting on a suggestion about the use of loans pledged at the donors conference, said these would be for a period of 40 years with minimal service charges.
“In terms of loans, we will never do anything that slides Pakistan back to pre-1999 financial straits; we will be very careful in using all financial resources,” he vowed.
