Poor response from donors: NWFP government may divert development funds to rehabilitation

Poor response from donors, including Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) may force North West Frontier Province (NWFP) government to divert resources earmarked for development in the budget to rehabilitation and reconstruction work in war hit Malakand division.
While talking to Business Recorder NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said that provincial government had estimated a requirement of Rs 86 billion for rehabilitation and reconstruction of Malakand division. "Donors including FoDP have not materialised their pledges and therefore, NWFP government may be forced to divert money earmarked for Annual Development Fund to rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in Malakand division," Minister said.
Mian Iftikhar said that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had promised to release Rs 17 billion to start rehabilitation work in the region but after repeated reminders by the provincial government to release the promised amount the federal government released Rs 2 billion only two days ago.
"A majority of the internally displaced families have returned to the devastated Malakand division yet work on reconstruction and rehabilitation has yet to kick off due to shortage of funds", Information Minister said. He further said that a survey on the instruction of the federal government to undertake a detailed survey of damage has been completed and Rs 86 billion is required for reconstruction and rehabilitation of Malakand division.
Minister further said that timely mobilisation of resources to implement various projects in the war-hit area is vital to restore public confidence through provision of essential public services at their doorstep and to make the division a model for other areas where anti-Taliban operations are currently ongoing.
Iftikhar further said that in the first phase government would provide compensation to the families of dead and injured and those whose houses were damaged. To avert economic catastrophe an immediate plan for rehabilitation of people related to agriculture and industry needs to be taken through short and medium term measures, he added.
Information Minister said that people of Malakand had rendered exemplary sacrifice for the sake of peace, security and integrity of the whole country and provincial government would utilise all its available resources for their prosperity. He further added that the provincial government had resolved to divert the entire annual development programme funds for the reconstruction of the area in case donors as well as the federal government failed to fulfil pledges of assistance.