October 05, 2006	Thursday	Ramazan 11, 1427

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MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 4: United Kingdom’s Parliamentary Under-secretary of State Gareth Thomas MP on Wednesday flew into the earthquake-affected areas and said he was encouraged by the progress he had seen in the region.

“We have come to see the devastation caused by last year’s earthquake and to understand the progress that has been made by the Government of Pakistan through its Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority. I am encouraged by the progress we have seen,” he told reporters at the helipad.

UK Treasury Secretary Stephen Timms, British High Commissioner to Pakistan Mark-Lyall Grant and Erra’s Deputy Chairman Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed and other officials were accompanying Mr Thomas.

The visit followed an announcement by the British minister in Islamabad that his country would release another £9 million in technical assistance for quake reconstruction and rehabilitation.

The money is from a total of £44 million intended for the next two years, whereas the decision on how to spend the remaining £21 million would be made between 2007 and 2008 on the basis of progress, needs and emerging priorities, he said.

The UK has pledged a total of £70 million for reconstruction and rehabilitation.

Of it £5 million has already been spent on reconstructing bridges, training teachers and administrators to support educational institutions in the affected areas, and TB prevention and mental health.

The minister said that £9 million will be spent on improving the government’s capacity to reduce the impact of future disasters and providing an effective monitoring and evaluation system. The remaining £35 million is intended for providing support to the Government of Pakistan regarding its budget to be spent on Erra priorities such as improving housing, health, education, and livelihood, he said.

The delegation earlier flew to the border village of Chakothi where it inspected a pre-fabricated school for girls which will be inaugurated on Sunday on the first anniversary of the earthquake.

He said although they had seen lots of people still living in tents but at the same time they had also witnessed people living in many new buildings made up of corrugated iron.

He said: “You know the place is mountainous and offers many challenges. Inevitably, you have to face difficulties and it is clear that the reconstruction effort is going to take five years. But we have been encouraged by the progress we have seen.”

Mr Thomas described Erra as an effective body whose capacity Britain wanted to augment.

But when specifically asked if he was satisfied with the situation, he replied: “I think I would share the attitude of Pakistani government ministers and officials within Erra and within aid agencies who say they won’t be satisfied until every person who lost his house is back in a house and everybody who lost his livelihood gets it back.