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Friday, 6 October 2006, 08:45 GMT 09:45 UK

Making progress after earthquake

By Bob Wylie
News correspondent, BBC Scotland


Pakistan is making a better job of recovering from last year's earthquake than the countries affected by the tsunami and the authorities in the US dealing with the rebuilding of New Orleans.

That's the verdict of the UN representative in Pakistan and many aid agencies one year after the earthquake which struck the Kashmir area in the north of the country.

A woman collects water from a communal container

All over the capital of Pakistan Kashmir - Muzaffarabad - mixed with the call of Islam and the honking of horns in the rush hour traffic there are the sounds of bulldozers clearing rubble.

Proof positive of work in progress even if there is still much to be done.

When the earthquake struck three million people were made homeless.

That's the equivalent of every household in Central Scotland having their house destroyed.

The United Nations Development Programme representative in Pakistan is Jan Vandemoortele.

He says although much still needs to be done, much has been achieved.

Mr Vandemoortele explained: "There are about 600,000 houses which have been destroyed or severely damaged in the earthquake.

Returning home

"Less than one year later, more than 350,000 houses are being rebuilt as we speak in this area, which is not a minor achievement I believe."

This positive report for Pakistan is echoed by others.

The country director of the international charity Concern, Dorothy Blane says that Pakistan is doing better than other major disaster areas.

She said: "If you look at the numbers of houses built in the tsunami countries or the percentage of people made homeless in New Orleans who are still without a roof over their heads then Pakistan compares favourably.

Bob Wylie meets families living in one of the relief camps

"If the benchmarks are the tsunami and New Orleans then Pakistan gets higher marks."

There is of course still desperate need in Pakistan, with more than 100,000 people still living in tents.

Nonetheless, many victims have returned to their home areas or have been given temporary housing which should see them through the winter.

When I put this to Jan Vandemoortele I asked him to give consideration to Pakistan's report card.

He said he would give Pakistan a pass with distinction.

That's not to say that everyone agrees.

Samina Ahmed, of the International Crisis Group in Pakistan, says the extent of what still needs to be done should not be underestimated.

Reconstruction plans

And she argues that there's a danger that it's being forgotten that Pakistan is a military dictatorship and this guarantees bungling and a lack of proper consultation with local communities.

The man who heads up the government Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency, or ERRA as it is known, would not agree.

General Nadeem Ahmed shrugs when his shoulders when such accusations are laid before him.

He says Pakistan has got the highest mark possible in the circumstances of disaster on the scale of what happened.

In fact he says he'd give Pakistan nine out of 10 so far.

General Nadeem says he's confident that further plans Pakistan has for reconstruction will be approved by the international community.

He says that means there will be further flows of aid and loans amounting to billions of dollars which guarantee progress will continue to be made in the struggle to recover from the tsunami of the mountains.



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Related to this story:
Pakistan praises quake aid effort (29 Sep 06 |  Scotland )
Fund-raising plan curries favour (20 Oct 05 |  Scotland )
Further £9m for international aid (28 Sep 06 |  Scotland )
McConnell praises Scots kindness (23 Dec 05 |  Scotland )

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