Delay in rehabilitation could impact anti-terror efforts: PM

Gilani told the WB that the world must not have any doubts about the safeguards put in place to ensure transparency.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has once again sought help from the international community to rehabilitate millions of flood survivors, saying that the delay in rehabilitation could impact its counter-terror efforts.

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani told a senior official of the World Bank (WB) that the global community must not have any doubts about the safeguards his government has put in place to make sure transparent disbursement of international aid.

“Pakistan has strong economic and financial institutions to manage the funds,” Gilani told Isable Guerrero, Vice President of the World Bank, who called on him here on Wednesday.

Gilani said it would help if funds being committed by the international financial institutions are channelled through the Pakistan government’s existing systems. A National Oversight Disaster Management Council has been set up which would ensure transparency and just distribution of assistance both in cash and kind, a handout statement quoted Gilani as telling Guerrero.  As a further guarantee, Gilani added that details of the funds would be available on the website.

The prime minister suggested the World Bank make a global appeal to mobilise financial support for Pakistan. He also hoped the agency would favourably consider easing terms and conditions for the economic support being extended.

Gilani feared that the delay in the rehabilitation of flood survivors could impact socio-economic and political environment, thus restricting Pakistan’s efforts to curb terrorism.

The premier said that his government has also taken a number of steps to raise its own resources to meet the needs of the floods survivors. These measures include re-prioritising the budget, freezing expenditure at the last year’s level, diverting some of the development funds, increasing tax base and austerity in all government departments.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2010.