Donor agencies urged to evolve strategy for quake aid: Salman
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance, Revenue, Economic Affairs and Statistics Dr. Salman Shah Saturday urged the donor agencies to evolve a strategy quickly to proceed further rehabilitate the victims.
He said "the agencies that based on best practices and experience of global disaster management of the donor agencies, a suitable strategy needs to be chalked out quickly to proceed further to rehabilitate the victims". He stated this in a meeting with the local heads of donor agencies including UNDP, WB, ADB, DFID-UK, EU, USAID and Japan Bank of International Cooperation. Minister of State Economic Affair Division Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar and senior officials from Planning and Economic Affairs Divisions also attended the meeting.
The meeting discussed various options and modalities to begin the second phase of reconstruction and rehabilitation of earthquake victims in AJK and NWFP. Setting up of a Relief and Rehabilitation Authority was also discussed. Dr. Salman Shah said that there is a need to create clusters for different sectors including housing, education, health etc.
It was decided that a comprehensive website need to be created which will depict day-to-day data and progress of the sectoral clusters.
It was also felt that relocation of the victims who have lost their houses to some other place would be difficult because of cultural, traditional and emotional attachment of the victims with their lost houses.
He further said that coordination with provincial and local authorities was of paramount importance for the need of assessment as well as to rehabilitate the victims. The Advisor asked EAD to nominate officers from line institution and Planning Division for cluster groups. The strategies and options that will be developed by the experts working groups for each cluster will be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Recovery and Reconstruction for decisions and implementation through the ministries, provincial and local governments.
The Reconstruction Authority would ensure effective and prompt implementation. It was also decided that EAD would continue to be the focal agency to coordinate with the donor agencies.