ISLAMABAD, Aug 5 Pakistan will seek $2.5 billion for rehabilitation and reconstruction of Malakand division from Friends of Democratic Pakistan at a meeting in Istanbul next week.

World Bank and Asian Development Bank officials are assessing the damage to infrastructure in the Malakand division because of military operation against militants, said Lt-Gen Nadeem Ahmed, chief of the Special Support Group for Internally Displaced Persons.

He was talking to journalists after speaking at a programme on “the decade of accomplishment the 10 years of the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund” at a hotel here on Wednesday.

He said a comprehensive framework for Malakand division would be presented at the Friends' meeting and the reconstruction would be carried out in a period of one year.

He said economic opportunities should be created in the region so that youths were diverted away from extremist activities.

The government is working on the Malakand Pilot Project for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the region. The plan will also address the root causes of extremism and militancy.

Speaking at the function, Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin said the government had prepared a coherent strategy to deal with economic and security challenges. Poverty reduction, creation of economic opportunities and provision of resources and social services in the region are essential components of the strategy, he said.

“We look forward to all stakeholders — international donors, civil society organisations and, above all, poor communities — to engaging them in the national endeavour,” he said.