Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan earthquake Victims has signed another contract for building 1000 houses at Bagh and Muzaffarabad earthquake hit areas. The contract was signed between SPAPEV and International Organisation for Immigration (IOM) here on Wednesday.
The project will cost over 5.1 million dollar said Dr Khalid M Othmani after signing ceremony. The IOM Regional Resource Management Officer, Mohammad Tayyab Baig and Dr Khalid M Othmani have signed the agreement.
Talking to newsmen, the Deputy Regional Director SPAPEV Dr Khalid said his organisation has already signed a contract of pre-fab houses last year, under which 4,000 houses would be built in Balakot area. He said that so far 2,400 houses have been completed of last year project and the keys of these units handed over to the displaced families of October 8.
He added that the work on remaining 1,600 houses is in full swing and very soon it would be handed over to families of Red Zone area (Balakot). The project is being completed in Balakot area at a cost of 16.7 million dollar, he said.
The organisation SPAPEV, is actively engaged in the reconstruction and rehabilitation activities in the earthquake affected areas of AJK and NWFP and this process which was started on humanitarian basis and on the call of Pakistan government will continue with the full assistance of Saudi Government and people, he said.
He said that Saudi Public Assistance and relief organisation working on the directives of Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, supervision of Prince Naif, Saudi Interior Minister and guidance of Dr Saed Al Harithy, Advisor to Interior Minister and Chairman of the relief organisation.
Giving details of relief, and rehabilitation work since the organisation started its operation in quake hit areas, he said that so far, it provided 200,000 blankets, 150,000 quilts, 12,500 winterised tents, 4.0 million Riyals medicine, 10,000 stoves, over 100,000 food packets containing sugar, pulses, ghee, oil, rice, thousands of flour bags, tons of wheat purchased for the quake victims and thousands of polypropylene sheets "Tirpal" for the affectees.
The SPAPEV has also handed over a huge quantity of relief aid worth millions of riyals to different organisation including International Islamic Relief Organisation, Al-Khubaib Foundation, Al-Khidmat Foundation, Read Foundation, Erra, National Volunteer Movement, AJK and NWFP governments for onward distribution. It also provided two million dollars to Unicef and similar amount to WFP to complete various projects for quake hit people.
The organisation has also provided 0.7 million dollar to READ Foundation for school books, uniform, stationery and other necessary material for educational purposes. Talking about the future projects, the Deputy Regional Director said that the organisation is planning to construct 30 secondary schools, besides mosques in the quake stricken areas.
He appreciated the Saudi Ambassador's personal efforts extended for the SPAPEV in all its ongoing projects and said that Saudi people hearts beat with Pakistani people and added that the relations existed between the two brotherly Islamic countries would further be strengthen in days to come. Media Director, Ibrahim Homaily was also present on the occasion.