ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Reconstruction of 600,000 homes and many other buildings damaged by last year’s earthquake may take eight years, longer than the government predicts, Asian Development Bank Country Director Peter Fedon said on Friday.

The ADB official said after a visit to areas ravaged by the earthquake that the towering mountains and inclement weather conditions were major complications for reconstruction efforts.

“The Pakistan army says it will take three to five years, but realistically it will take at least eight years given the terrain and the weather conditions,” Mr Fedon told AP here. “For us, we see it as a long-term effort.”

Speaking at a press conference with Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority Deputy Chairman Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmad, the ADB country director said the bank had released $465 million of

the $1 billion pledged for different projects in the affected areas.

He said the amount included $80 million donated by different countries, while another $80 million grant would be provided soon.

He said the bank had agreed to provide $300 million assistance for the housing sector in the affected areas.

The Erra deputy chief said that over Rs50 billion had been disbursed among the affected people for their rehabilitation.

In reply to a question, Lt-Gen Ahmad said Balakot city would be relocated to Bakriyal area at a cost of $130 million and the project would be completed in three years. The said the new city would have all modern civic facilities.

A new satellite town would be established near Nangarpura to accommodate the dislocated people of Muzaffarabad, he said.

He said the main focus was to reconstruct the houses so that dislocated people could be accommodated as early as possible.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s unease
Updated 24 May, 2024

IMF’s unease

It is clear that the next phase of economic stabilisation will be very tough for most of the population.
Belated recognition
24 May, 2024

Belated recognition

WITH Wednesday’s announcement by three European states that they intend to recognise Palestine as a state later...
App for GBV survivors
24 May, 2024

App for GBV survivors

GENDER-based violence is caught between two worlds: one sees it as a crime, the other as ‘convention’. The ...
Energy inflation
Updated 23 May, 2024

Energy inflation

The widening gap between the haves and have-nots is already tearing apart Pakistan’s social fabric.
Culture of violence
23 May, 2024

Culture of violence

WHILE political differences are part of the democratic process, there can be no justification for such disagreements...
Flooding threats
23 May, 2024

Flooding threats

WITH temperatures in GB and KP forecasted to be four to six degrees higher than normal this week, the threat of...