ISLAMABAD, Nov 24: Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas Faisal Saleh Hayat has said that the government has so far paid over Rs3.6 billion in compensation to quake victims in Azad Kashmir. Talking to APP he said besides the preliminary payment of Rs25,000 the government will pay an additional Rs150,000 to every affected home for reconstruction.

He said 43,412 persons lost their lives in Azad Kashmir and compensation has been given to relatives of 14,616 deceased people. Out of the 31,000 injured 681 people and out of the 246,280 damaged houses owners of 85,967 houses have been paid compensations, he added.

Mr Hayat said reconstruction will be started after completion of a survey by experts from Turkey, Italy and Japan, to make new buildings quake-proof.

While talking to newsmen at the relief camp he said the real task ahead was implementation of the reconstruction plan which would start very soon. In the first phase of rehabilitation, focus was on infrastructure development, which will help to generate economic activities and in this way the local people will get jobs.

He said donor countries have been asked to provide steel, cement and nonperishable food items besides machinery for the reconstruction process. He said the government would review the damage assessment every three months so that there should not be shortfall of funds for the reconstruction.

Teams of experts from Turkey, China and Nespak were conducting seismic survey of the affected areas and would submit their report to the government within next three week after which reconstruction work would be started, he said.

The minister said Rs270 million were being distributed among the affected people on daily basis and the amount would be increased to Rs300 million. In the second phase, houses for the affectees would be constructed according to the seismic survey report.

“There will be complete integrity, transparency and accountability in the utilisation of these funds for the rehabilitation and reconstruction in the affected areas,” the minister assured.