ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: A workshop organized here by the Transparency International (TI) has stressed that accountability to the earthquake affected communities holds the key to keeping corruption out of the reconstruction work.

“Affected communities are the beneficiaries of the huge aid flows following the 2005 earthquake and accountability to them is essential,” TI Regional Director Peter Rooke told the concluding session of the workshop on Wednesday.

Forty per cent of the estimated $3.5 billion pledged for reconstruction and rehabilitation is for rebuilding houses, largely in rural areas.

“All government procurement in relation to reconstruction and rehabilitation, funded from the federal or provincial budget, must be conducted under the Public Procurement Rules, 2004”, said Syed Adil Gilani, head of TI’s Pakistan chapter.

Recommendations formulated by the experts who debated transparent utilization of reconstruction funds for two days would be open to comments until February 20 and then finalized, he said.

Auditor General of Pakistan Mohammad Younis Khan suggested on the occasion that a technical committee should “refine” the experts’ recommendations. “We essentially need to track funds coming from individuals,” he said.

“I have to say that our existing system ensures corruption and the rules are the biggest safeguard of the corrupt,” he said.

But he added with confidence: “We will not fail donors. We will audit and account for every penny received. Third party validation (of the audit) should give them comfort”.

His bluntest remarks were, however, directed at foreign watchdogs.

“Instead of holding workshops and adding to the confusion, let us get on with the work. You don’t trust the government but what about the NGOs. How many of them keep audited accounts? Corruption is overrated in Pakistan,” he said.

There were some good, efficient NGOs doing excellent work, he said. “But it is time for the international community to distinguish between NGOs functioning honestly and those which thrive on paddling political influence and patronage”.