Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has said that the PPP led coalition government is firmly committed to early restoration and rehabilitation of all the victims of October 2005 earthquake.
This, he said, during a briefing by the Earthquake Rehabilitation and Regulatory Authority (ERRA) at the Prime Minister's House here in Islamabad on Monday.
The Prime Minister said that when the present government took over, ERRA had completed barely 1627 projects against its total portfolio of 14000 projects. Under the present government, it has completed over 8600 projects six times more compared to 2008 due to allocation of Rs. 83 billion in 4 years. This, the Prime Minister said speaks volumes of the commitment and priority placed by this government for the early rehabilitation of October 2005 earthquake victims.
The Prime Minister recalled that the devastating earth quake of October 2005, rejuvenated the nation and created a new fervor which mobalized the entire nation to come to the help and rescue of their fellow citizens.
The Prime Minister said that the most significant challenge today is to strategize sustainable development through reconstruction and rehabilitation work in the affected areas to convert the adversity into an opportunity by adopting humanitarian approach in line with the manifesto of the government.
The Prime Minister said that it was necessary for ERRA to come up to the expectations of the calamity hit people as they envisage ERRA’s performance not as mere obligation but a spirit of serving the humanity. The Prime Minister maintained that he expected completion of all the projects at various stages of completion on fast track basis.
The Prime Minister expressed concern over the delay in the construction of new Balakot City Development project and directed ERRA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to resolve the issues relating to the project within ten days and come up with concrete suggestion to move ahead with the project.
The meeting was attended by Secretary of Finance Mr. Abdul Wajid Rana, Secretary EAD Mr. Javed Iqbal, Secretary Planning & Development Mr. Javed Malik, Additional Secretary Planning & Development Mr. Haseeb Akhtar, Chief Secretary KPK Mr. Ghulam Dastagir, Chief Secretary AJ&K Mr. M Shahzad Arbab, Chairman ERRA Mr. Hamid Yar Hiraj, Deputy Chairman ERRA Maj. Gen M Azeem Asif, COS ERRA, Brig Syed Wajid Raza, DG Finance ERRA, Mr. M. Anwar Khan Rana, and other senior officers.