Swat rebuilding ‘painfully slow’

SWAT: The reconstruction and rehabilitation of terrorism-scarred Swat is painfully slow, with the rebuilding effort even lacking a clear blueprint, charged a local group known as the Global Peace Council Swat.

The group told a press conference on Wednesday that the attitude of the authorities and the organisations involved in the rebuilding effort appeared “non-serious”.

They recalled that Swat had lost everything – infrastructure, communication, education, agriculture, tourism – and the losses amounted to billions of rupees. All this was the result of the wave of terrorism that swept the valley in recent years.

They said that Swat people have rendered great sacrifices for the solidarity of Pakistan, something also acknowledged by the world, “but still they are deprived of their rights”.

“There is a complete lack of coordination between the government and non-governmental organisations regarding reconstruction and rehabilitation,” they said.

They alleged that high authorities and NGOs are looting funds made available for the reconstruction of Malakand division.

They pointed out that an exemplary reconstruction is needed to reap the fruits of a successful military operation. The process should be transparent and well-planned, and open to accountability.

They demanded three-fold increase in uplift funds for the Malakand division to make up for the three years lost to the tide of terrorism when no development occurred. Educated and skilled youth of Swat should be given employment in the process of reconstruction. “The $1.5 billion of the Kerry-Lugar Bill must be spent on the terrorism-stricken areas according to the US policy,” they demanded.

The Global Peace Council announced that it will host a week from July 1, inviting people from all over Pakistan to Swat. The locals will serve them according to the Pakhtun culture and tradition of hospitality.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2010.