Speaking on the occasion, Senator Altaf Muhammad Saleem thanked Bosnian Govt and people, especially outgoing Bosnian Ambassador for his continuous support to ERRA. He said that Bosnian support is reflective of the confidence of international community in ERRA’s rebuilding phase. He said that PM Yousuf Raza Gilani is taking keen interest in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of earthquake affected areas and is regularly updated about the recent developments made by ERRA.

Altaf M Saleem urged local administration to engage closely with ERRA to manage the network of buildings, offices and infrastructure being developed in affected areas. He said that ERRA’s Housing Project is almost complete and now it is emphasizing more to speed up work on Education and Health Sector.

Answering a question Chairman ERRA said that Master Plan for Muzaffarabad City Project has been finalized and the work will start soon. Bosnian Ambassador H.E. Damir Dzanko while appreciating ERRA’s efforts towards rebuilding in earthquake affected areas said that 2005 earthquake was a great disaster in Pakistan’s national history but people of Pakistan stood together to effectively tackle the situation and Bosnian Govt was always prepared to cooperate with ERRA to mitigate the sufferings of this great catastrophe.

He assured Chairman ERRA for Bosnia’s continuous support towards this noble cause in future. In SERRA office Muzaffarabad, Chairman ERRA Altaf M Saleem was also briefed about 617 transforms imported from China under Earthquake Early Assistance Project to channelize the Power network in earthquake affected areas of AJ&K. Altaf M Saleem instructed SERRA administration to install the transformers as soon as possible so that mechanism for provision of electricity in affected areas can be improved and streamlined.

Chairman ERRA later held meeting with VC Muzaffarabad University Dr Habib-ur-Rehman and discussed the issues delaying the reconstruction of University. Chairman Altaf Slaeem told the Vice Chancellor that the bidding process will be completed before April and the work will start right after. Chairman ERRA Altaf Muhammad Saleem, Bosnian Ambassador H.E. Damir Dzanko, Secretary Health AJ&K, high ranked ERRA officials and local people were also present on the occasion.-SANA

The meeting reviewed audit paras of Council of Islamic Ideology and ERRA. The existing deputy chairman ERRA admitted that bogus payments were made in Muzaffarabad and said that now the system was corrected and recovery of the amount is underway. Auditor General’s report revealed that ERRA failed to distribute Rs.3.31 billions among quake victims and the amount was still deposited in different banks.

The committee directed the ERRA to submit its report within three months regarding payments and expenditure after audit objections. The chairman Public Accounts Committee said ERRA was an important organization, which could not be neglected, and those responsible for discrepancies would be questioned.

Addressing inauguration ceremony of reconstructed Government High School Khairabad in union Council Karnol Balakot here, he said three years on from the devastating October 8 earthquake in northern part of Pakistan International organizations, world comity international societies has supported millions of communities in NWFP and AJK to the road to the recovery.

The government and the people of Pakistan convey their high appreciation to the world comity specially CARITAS Switzerland which completed more than ten schools besides its projects of reconstruction of 40 more schools in earthquake affected area of NWFP, he added.

Deputy Chairman ERRA said “Right across the region, we’re seeing real progress as thousands of houses have been build on owner driven program which were acknowledged most successful program in the world to rehabilitate the affectees on speedy”.

The day will dawn with special prayers for the soul of martyrs of the quake as well as progress and prosperity of Pakistan.

In Muzaffarabad, sirens will be sounded at 8.52 in the morning during which all kinds of traffic will come to a tandstill for one minute to pay homage to the martyrs. Later a collective Duwa will also be held at University ground.

Official sources said the significant development of the day is the foundation stone laying ceremony of the mega developmental projects for Muzaffarabad and Muzaffarabad Athmuqam road which will cost three hundred ninety six million dollars

Chief metreologist Met Office Peshawar Mohammad Rafiq told that the centre of the earthquake was in an area of Kirghizistan some 650 km away in the north of Peshawar.

The magnitude 5.4 quake was centered about 270 miles north of Peshawar, said Mohammed Akram of the state-run seismological center in Peshawar.

He said the tremors were felt in Islamabad and some northwestern cites like Mansehra, but authorities had received no information about any damage or casualties.

Akram urged people not to be panicked as such a moderate earthquake usually does not cause any damage.

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake in 2005 devastated Pakistani Kashmir and northwestern cities, killing about 80,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Some of the displaced families are still living in makeshift homes. -AP

Thousands of volunteers and private groups rushed to help victims of the earthquake that devastated China’s Sichuan Province in May. Now many people wonder whether the freedom they have had in the disaster area will carry over into broader rights for civic groups in the future. Jamila Trindle recently visited the town of Mianyang in Sichuan Province and has this report.

Teacher Shao Ling is helping out in a tent kindergarten that just opened in the community of Mianzhu. She says because of the big earthquake, her school has started its summer vacation, so while houses are being built she came here to volunteer, to try to help out.

She now works in a kindergarten built by the You Cheng Foundation for Poverty Reduction, from Beijing. Foundation member Wang Yi Bing says the earthquake has given non-governmental organizations and charities a chance to prove what they can do.

“The government allows all kinds of NGOs - if you want to go you can go, so I think it’s a good opportunity both for the NGO and for the government to review,” he says. (more…)