2005 earthquake: Govt demands investigation into reconstruction of schools
Says Centre must release funds for schoolchildren in Hazara
Special Assistant to CM on Information Mushtaq Ghani addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday. PHOTO: ONLINE
PESHAWAR:
The provincial government has demanded a commission to investigate which government did not reconstruct schools destroyed in 2005 earthquake and why, despite receiving funds.
“Chief Minister Pervez Khattak will write a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to call a meeting with Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) Council,” Special Assistant to CM on Information Mushtaq Ghani said during a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday. “Otherwise children, their parents and teachers are ready to hold a sit-in.”
He added they have considered the problems being faced by schoolchildren in Hazara Division and have therefore decided to take responsibility for the construction of over 750 schools from the K-P budget. “This is because the federal government is not releasing funds for the purpose.”
‘Not on record’
Minister for Education Atif Khan, who was also present on the occasion, said, “I wonder what the international community will think about us since they donated money for reconstruction but even after 11 years, over 1,300 schools could not be constructed.”
He added over 2,000 schools were destroyed in the earthquake, out of which some were reconstructed by non-government organisations.
Around 900 others were not even documented and were deliberately demolished so money could be made from the sale of the debris, he said.
Atif said a meeting was held with ERRA, but its officials said the federal government was not releasing funds.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2016.
The provincial government has demanded a commission to investigate which government did not reconstruct schools destroyed in 2005 earthquake and why, despite receiving funds.
“Chief Minister Pervez Khattak will write a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to call a meeting with Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) Council,” Special Assistant to CM on Information Mushtaq Ghani said during a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday. “Otherwise children, their parents and teachers are ready to hold a sit-in.”
He added they have considered the problems being faced by schoolchildren in Hazara Division and have therefore decided to take responsibility for the construction of over 750 schools from the K-P budget. “This is because the federal government is not releasing funds for the purpose.”
‘Not on record’
Minister for Education Atif Khan, who was also present on the occasion, said, “I wonder what the international community will think about us since they donated money for reconstruction but even after 11 years, over 1,300 schools could not be constructed.”
He added over 2,000 schools were destroyed in the earthquake, out of which some were reconstructed by non-government organisations.
Around 900 others were not even documented and were deliberately demolished so money could be made from the sale of the debris, he said.
Atif said a meeting was held with ERRA, but its officials said the federal government was not releasing funds.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 31st, 2016.