July 29, 2006	Saturday	Rajab 2, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, July 28: Pakistan has planned to host a second international donors’ conference aimed at generating funds for various projects to rebuild the areas that were hit by the devastating earthquake on October 8, 2006.

Deputy Chairman of Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra) Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmad told a press briefing that the conference was most likely to take place on October 8, exactly a year after the deadly earthquake rattled parts of Pakistan leaving thousands of people dead and injured.

He said pledges to provide $6.2 billion were made at the first international donors’ conference. However, the cost of reconstruction was expected to go beyond what had been estimated earlier, he added.

He assured that most of the people in the quake-hit areas would get shelter before the next winter, and a very few people would be left in the camps.

Lt Gen Ahmad said Saudi Arabia would provide 10,000 pre-fabricated houses next month for the people affected by landslides in the quake-hit areas. Half of these houses would go to Balakot for landless people, and the rest to Muzaffarabad and some other landslide prone areas in Azad Kashmir.

He said Kuwait would also provide 200 pre-fabricated houses and efforts were being made to meet the shortfall through International Organisation of Migration (IOM).

He said a decision had been taken to move Balakot town to a new site called Bakrial. Libya was expected to meet all expenditure on the development of town, he said, adding that town planning would begin after the completion of a detailed topographic survey which was currently underway.

About Muzaffarabad, he said developing a new city was easier than restoring the old one due to multifarious problems. He said Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had prepared draft of land use plan which had been modified in consultation with all stakeholders. A bypass would be constructed there and Muzaffarabad University would be moved to Chattar, he added.

The Erra official said Rawalakot would be developed as a tourist spot for which Nespak had been assigned the task of town planning. He said the University of Engineering and Technology Lahore was undertaking town planning of Bagh and the first draft was expected in about a fortnight.

He said policies on environment, industry and tourism were also being prepared.

Answering a question, he expressed the confidence that construction activity in the quake-hit areas would gather momentum during the next few months. He emphasised that people should take full advantage of Erra reconstruction hubs and start rebuilding their houses as soon as possible.