Pakistan has suffered about five billion dollars in losses to infrastructure from the massive earthquake and has been pledged 500 million dollars to rebuild, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Saturday.
"Close to five billion dollars damage has been caused to the private and public sector infrastructures," the Prime Minister told a news conference at his official residence here.
The United Nations has said it will take up to 10 years to rebuild, "but we think we can do it earlier," he said.
He said the country has received 500 million dollars in pledges from the international community as quake assistance, while three billion rupees (500,000 dollars) have been donated so far to domestic relief fund.
He was speaking after Saudi Arabia announced an emergency aid package worth 133 million dollars for infrastructure projects in Pakistan.
The October 8 earthquake killed more than 38,000 people, injured 62,000 others and left some 3.3 million people homeless in Pakistan.
Talking to newsmen here at the PML house after attending the PML central executive committee, the Prime Minister said relief and rehabilitation work is being expedited and maximum efforts are under way to provide food and shelter to remote areas affected due to earthquake.
He said the government had been able to provide relief goods to cities so far and now efforts are being made to take these goods to remote and inaccessible areas.
The Prime Minister said temporary accommodation would be provided to the victims. The Prime Minister said the PML CEC also discussed relief and rehabilitation work being done by the government and he explained in detail about measures taken by the government in this regard.
The Prime Minister said so far 15 field hospitals had been established in affected areas with the help of international community.
He said the local government in earthquake-affected areas had been collapsed, therefore, the federal government had sent officials to run affairs of the AJK government. The Prime Minister said army and civil officers had been sent to the affected areas. He said PML and other parties are working together to revive the life in affected areas.
The Prime Minister said the government would provide full assistance and help to orphans and widows so that they could lead a normal life.
Replying to a question about rehabilitation of affectees, the Prime Minister said a Rehabilitation Authority is being formed to complete this gigantic project, as millions had become homeless.
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