MUZAFFARABAD: Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is expected to complete another 53 educational projects in the earthquake-hit districts by December from the Rs1 billion provided by the federal government for completion of schemes that were already about 80pc finished, the region’s reconstruction-related body said on Tuesday.
In a statement, Rafaqat Hussain, secretary of the State Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Serra), said the federal government had released Rs1 billion to the authority in June on the request of the AJK government to complete the 67 schemes.
Of the projects, 14 had already been completed and handed over to the relevant departments, while work on the remaining 53 was expected to be completed by December, he added.
The statement by the senior Serra official on the progress of reconstructioncame two days ahead of the 21st anniversary of the devastating October 8, 2005 earthquake, which the government said would be observed as the ‘National Disaster Awareness Day’.
Prime Minister Iftikhar Gillani is expected to be the chief guest at the main prayer ceremony to be held at K. H. Khurshid Stadium here, which houses a monument to the earthquake martyrs.
The projects have been included in the AJK government’s 100-day reform programme, aimed at speeding up the completion of stalled educational infrastructure in the earthquake-hit districts, Mr Hussain said.
Of the 7,608 schemes undertaken by Serra, 5,878 had been completed and handed over to the relevant departments, he added.
Around Rs44 billion was still required to complete the reconstruction programme, including Rs20.113 billion for ongoing projects and Rs24.013 billion for remaining schemes, according to the secretary.
According to the latest sector-wise progress cited by Serra, 1,620 of the 2,718 education projects had been completed, while work on 501 was in progress. In the health sector, 119 of 160 projects had been completed and 21 were under construction.
In the environment and forests sector, 119 of 160 projects had been completed and 43werein progress, while 161 of 223 government buildings under the governance component had been completed and work on 60 was continuing. Similarly, 1,038 of 1,426 livelihood projects relating to agriculture and live stock had been completed and 251wereunder construction.
All 11 power projects had been completed and handed over to the relevant department, as had six social protection projects, one telecommunications project and two town-planning projects.
Of 138 transport projects, 136hadbeen completed, while 2,714 of 2,795 water and sanitation projects had been completed and work on 28wascontinuing.
Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2026
