ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah said on Tuesday that reconstruction of quake- affected areas was a gigantic task which might take 3-10 years.

The magnitude of the earthquake was such that even assessment of damage has become a difficult task, he said while speaking in a PTV programme.

He said assessment teams had been dispatched to 12 areas to begin the reconstruction process.

Around 500,000 houses would be reconstructed, he said, adding remote and isolated settlements would be reconstructed at their original places while new town planning would be done for urban areas.

However, he said, opinion of local people would be sought before initiating reconstruction.

While replying to a question he said new techniques would be adopted in reconstruction process.

Salman said that out of total international aid commitments so far, the share of Islamic countries stands 70 percent.

He said Muslim countries have begun to realize the need of a joint disaster management mechanism.—APP