ISLAMABAD, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has decided to shift the earthquake-devastated city Balakot to a new location after it was declared dangerous for construction, a cabinet minister said on Saturday.

    Balakot, a town that was once home to nearly 300,000 people, located some 220 km north of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, was one of the areas worst hit by the Oct. 8, 2005 quake.

    Balakot will be shifted to another location to be decided by the provincial government, Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said after attending a high level meeting.

    The meeting chaired by President Pervez Musharraf in Rawalpindi also decided to commence the process of rebuilding of destroyed houses in the quake zone from April 7.

    Thousands were killed and many injured in Balakot and adjoining areas during the quake. Rubble has been partially cleared, but large piles of it still lie in some areas in Balakot.

    The information minister said that the authorities of North West Frontier Province and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, the two quake-hot zones, would begin distributing forms among the affectees from April 7.

    The meeting also approved the provision of monthly subsistence allowance of 3,000 rupees (about 50 U.S. dollars) to each affected family for six months. Enditem