Where did foreign funds for quake-hit districts go, asks SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned the whereabouts of foreign funds worth billions of dollars received for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts hit by the 2005 earthquake and sought written replies from the provincial ministries of planning and finance. A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsen, heard a suo moto case on the reconstruction of 2005 earthquake-hit districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

In pursuance of the court’s last order, the KP chief secretary and relief works secretary appeared in person before the court. The chief secretary stated that although he was appointed on February 2, he had taken briefings from various organisations.

He submitted that since 2008, the project of reconstructing the New Balakot City had not yet been completed, adding that the project had not been completely handed over to the provincial government.

He informed the court that the local people had reconstructed houses over 2,000 kanals, adding that out of 15,596 kanals, 8,444 kanals were available.

“The biggest hurdles to the completion of instant project are non-availability of funds as the financial position of the province is not quite stable and in deficit,” the chief secretary told the court.

He submitted that after receiving approval from the provincial cabinet, the project could be continued in collaboration with the federal government.

“This is a very depressing situation, but where did the huge foreign funds go that were received for the reconstruction of districts of the province,” Justice Ijazul Ahsen questioned.

The affected residents of the 2005 earthquake informed the court that even today there was no school in Balakot, alleging that the funds received in the name of reconstruction of the city were spent on other projects.

The additional attorney-general informed the court that the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) had completed some 11,000 projects of rehabilitation and reconstruction in Manshera and Balakot for a total of Rs206 billion.

Similarly, a representative of Economic Affairs informed the court that, out of $2.97 billion, the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) received Rs2.5 billion.

Likewise, he submitted that $700 million were provided to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and Highways Authority from the funds received from foreign countries.

The affected people informed the court that they had been continuously telling lies, adding that neither they are being allowed to do construction work nor are the authorities themselves doing anything.

The government may keep the foreign funds, but at least we should be allowed to reconstruct their houses, the affected people told the court.

Justice Ijazul Ahsen said that the court realises the problems being faced by the affected people and wants that they be compensated as well.

Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing for a date-in-office (indefinite period) after seeking written replies from the provincial ministries of planning and finance.