SPEECH OF PRIME MINISTER
INAUGURATION / GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY
ERRA PROJECTS / AJK UNIVERSITY
23 May, 2011
Honourable President of AJK,
Raja Zulqarnain Khan
Honourable Prime Minister of AJK,
Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan
Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan,
Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo
His Excellency Jasim Al-Khaldi,
The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
Kashmir Council Members
Chairman ERRA, Mr Hamid Yar Hiraj
Deputy Chairman ERRA, Lt Gen Sardar Mahmood Ali Khan
Ladies and Gentlemen
Assalam-o-Alaikum
At this juncture when the country is facing multiple internal and external
challenges, it is indeed a pleasure and a privilege to inaugurate 25 middle
schools and perform ground breaking ceremony of Azad Jammu & Kashmir
University Rawalakot Campus and Azad Jammu & Kashmir University of
Muzaffarabad Campus, funded by Saudi Fund for Development. These projects
will benefit entire population of Azad Jammu & Kashmir for generations to come.
We are highly obliged to the Government and the people of Saudi Arabia for this
special valueable gift and many other similar gifts for the 2005 earthquake
affected people of Azad Jammu & Kashmir & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Let me remind you that on October 8, 2005, nine districts of Azad Jammu
& Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were hit with an unprecedented earthquake
in the history of Pakistan. On that fateful day an entire civilization; people and
infrastructure, were razed to ground in a matter of seconds. Amidst the chaos,
the people and the Government of Pakistan, civil society, and the international
community rushed, with a sense of urgency, to help the affected population. The
immediate and long term efforts undertaken by the people and the Government
of Pakistan as well as the international community will always be remembered
with a deep sense of gratitude and admiration by the survivors of the 2005
earthquake.
It is due to our joint efforts that over six hundred thousand (600,000)
houses have been reconstructed and all the affectees have been provided
seismically safe accommodation. Disaster Risk Management Programme has
been completed in all the nine districts. Programme for medical rehabilitation of
over forty thousand (40,000) persons with disabilities has been completed and
institutional arrangements have been put into place to look after these people.
Over four thousand (4000) Water and Sanitation schemes have been completed.
With electricity and telecommunication fully restored, over forty (40) new bridges
constructed and most of the major roads having been repaired, normalcy has
been restored. On the whole six thousand eight hundred and forty eight (6848)
infrastructure projects have been completed while four thousand one hundred
(4100) are under construction while some two thousand (2000) are being
processed.
While a lot has been done, yet lot more needs to be done. I am fully aware
of the need to complete the remaining projects, most of which are schools and
must be completed at priority. Of course, that requires uninterrupted flow of
funds. Let me assure you that despite severe financial crunch and other
challenges, my government is fully committed to complete the remaining projects
on a fast track basis.
I am happy to note that ERRA has been the first government organization
to be ISO 9001 certified. I am also pleased to learn that on 12th May 2011,
ERRA has been given “UN Sasakawa Award 2011”. In recognition of its
remarkable performance and the need for a countrywide reconstruction and
rehabilitation organization, the Government of Pakistan has made ERRA a
permanent organization to be renamed as National Reconstruction and
Rehabilitation Authority. It will be responsible for reconstruction and rehabilitation
phase for any future calamities.
At the end, I would like to avail this opportunity to state that like always,
our Saudi brothers have been in the forefront in alleviating the sufferings of the
people affected by 2005 earthquake. They have provided us eight thousand
(8000) transitional houses, seventeen (17) health facilities, two (02) district
government complexes and six (06) educational institutions including the mega
project of Azad Jammu & Kashmir University, which will go a long way in
changing the destiny of the coming generations of Azad Jammu & Kashmir. On
behalf of the people of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and on my own behalf, I will like
to once again express my profound gratitude to the Government and the people
of brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for funding the AJ&K University project. I
also wish to pay tribute to all those survivors of earthquake whose ardent
participation in reconstruction; patience and resilience have made
implementation of various projects possible.
Thank you,
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