MANSEHRA, May 10: Balakot Tehsil Nazim Syed Junaid Ali Qasim has said the people of the quake-hit zone acknowledged services of the international community for relief and rehabilitation of the devastated areas.

He was speaking at a ceremony held on Thursday to launch an “Integrated Development Programme” in two union councils of the Balakot tehsil. The programme will be carried out by an NGO, World Vision.

World Vision’s country director Graham Strong, programme director Chance Briggs and a number of nazims and councillors spoke on the occasion.

The tehsil nazim said that without cooperation of the international community, it was impossible for the people and the government of Pakistan to help the affected people.

He said that because of the magnitude of the devastation, the reconstruction process could take six to seven years. He urged people to show patience and determination to rebuild their houses and to cooperate with the government and the international community in the reconstruction process.

Mr Strong dispelled the impression that the World Vision had any intentions of proselytisation or influencing the local culture in any way.

He said the World Vision had established offices in the Oghi tehsil and the Siran valley and the establishment of the Kaghan office was aimed at covering as much of the affected area as possible.

“We have selected only two union councils of the Kaghan valley, i.e. Hungrai and Satbanni, for the one-and-a-half-year Integrated Development Programme and in future, we plan to include more areas of the Kaghan valley in the programme,” he said.

He urged people to contact the World Vision officials for clarification about any accusations of proselytisation.

Farid Alam, Kaghan area’s integrated development manager, said the programme would ensure quality education to children by setting up 11 primary schools, teachers’ training and essential supplies to schools.