JEDDAH, 25 October 2005 — The Pakistan Repatriation Council (PRC) has proposed the establishment of a fund for the rehabilitation of millions of people rendered homeless by the Oct. 8 earthquake.
At a symposium organized here Sunday to discuss the situation arising out of the quake, PRC floated a proposal for instituting the fund stressing that the homeless should be rehabilitated at the places where they used to live. This, it said, would prevent an influx of people to the urban south that is already stretched to its limits.
Speakers at the symposium called on the government to expedite the rehabilitation process to ensure that the displaced people do not migrate toward other cities. They said the areas hit by the earthquake are strategically important and a substantial settlement in those areas would serve our defense interest.
They said that according to an estimate, around 600,000 houses were needed to accommodate some four million people left homeless by the quake and proposed that 40,000 more houses be added to accommodate the 40,000 families stranded in Bangladesh for over three decades. These stranded people could be settled in Punjab and NWFP as per the agreement of the Rabita Trust. This will solve the longstanding issue of the stranded Pakistanis and we will win Allah’s pleasure.
“The estimated cost of building 640,000 houses is around $4 billion. We suggest that the government and national banks jointly establish ‘Fund for Construction and Rehabilitation’.
“Fifty percent of the fund — $2 billion — should be provided by the government. Twenty-five percent by international donors and another twenty-five percent to be taken from national banks in the shape of interest-free loans,” they said.
They proposed the establishment of an authority to oversee the construction of houses that can be divided into categories. 1) Houses made of blocks. 2) Houses made of wood and fiberglass. They also called for setting up an independent monitoring body to be headed by the prime minister to monitor the process. This body should be accountable to Senate.
Before the construction process begins, clearing the debris, and providing utilities — water supply, electricity — will be the responsibility of the government that should be provided free of charge.
Loans for building houses should be composed of three parts — 50 from the government, 25 percent from donors which should be non-refundable and another 25 percent should be provided by banks as interest-free loan payable in easy installments over a period of say, 10 years.
Small industrial units should be set up to build the components of houses — fiberglass sheets/roofs, pre-fabricated sheets etc.
This will not only expedite the process but also provide employment to a large number of people.
A number of educational institutions and professional institutes should be established to train the orphans and children of quake-hit people so that they can earn living in a dignified manner.
The government should allocate funds for upgrading the quake-hit area making it tourist spot — given the natural potential of the areas — and a hub of small industries.
The government should also set up a building authority to oversee the construction of school buildings given the widespread damages done to school buildings by the earthquake that resulted in the death of a large number of schoolchildren.
Those who spoke included Mian Mateen Aslam, Azeez Ahmed, Rauf Tahir, PRC convener Ehsanul Haque and Abdul Qayyum Waseq. They praised the enthusiasm of the people of Pakistan to help their brethren in distress and also appreciated the financial support extended by the international community to alleviate the suffering of the quake-affected people.
Maqboolur Rahman Abbasi who returned from the quake-hit areas this week spoke about the massive damage caused by the earthquake.
He said it might not be possible to determine the extent of the overall damage for months.
Ehsanul Haque said the tragedy brought the opposition and government together. The participants later prayed for the quake victims.
