KARACHI, Oct 27: Leader of the opposition in the Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said on Thursday that it was imperative, given the magnitude of the task of reconstruction and rehabilitation, that the funds received through internal and external sources be used purposefully and in a transparent manner.

Although, the international contribution towards the UN Flash Fund has fallen below the expectations of UN, the donations are being generated in the name of rescue, relief, reconstruction and rehabilitation, according to a statement issued by Mr Rabbani. He said the government must open a single consolidated fund with the State Bank and provide all relevant information to the nation.

He said that the total amounts of the funds credited to the account; the total amount of commitments made till date; and the total amount of the funds contributed by a each country, donor agency or individual should be adjusted against the relief account and should be spent by some international organization for purpose the amounts had been donated.

He said all information in this regard should be provided to the parliament. The account should be managed under the supervision of a bi-partisan committee of the parliament in order to ensure transparency.

“As this has to be a national reconstruction effort, the civil society and elected representatives have to be associated with the affair. It is not appropriate that the organizations associated with such activities are dominated or headed by army personnel.”

Mr Rabbani also suggested that elected representatives of people, engineers, doctors and architects be associated with the reconstruction and rehabilitation.—PPI