ISLAMABAD, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The world community and international donor agencies have been urged to fulfill their aid pledges for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of militancy-hit Swat and Malakand in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the official APP news agency reported Wednesday.
"The devastation in Swat and Malakand is behind expectation. I appeal to the international community to come forward and fulfill their aid pledges so that reconstruction process in Swat and Malakand Division could be started in large scale," NWFP Minister for Science and Technology Ayub Ashari was quoted as saying.
He said that hundreds of schools, health units, roads, bridges, forestry, tourism and agriculture sectors have received heavy damages during the last two years due to militancy and terrorism.
The minister said that millions of rupees were needed for the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure of schools in the restive Swat valley.
The reconstruction of around 200 damaged schools in Swat would take time besides huge funds were required for the rehabilitation process of health, roads, bridges, agriculture, forestry and irrigation sectors.
"The government alone could not provide the huge sum for the reconstruction of damaged school buildings and other infrastructure and asked donors, civil society and other welfare organizations for financial help in this regard," he said.
The process of reconstruction in the restive district of Swat would soon start at large scale. The NWFP government would highly welcome the generous and quick support of donor agencies and world community in this regard, he reiterated.
Most of the damages have been reported to these sectors at Kabal, Charbagh, Matta and Mingora tehsils. The minister said that NWFP government was giving special focus on reconstruction of damaged schools and health institutions in Swat valley.
The fears for militants in Swat have been significantly removed and routine life is coming to normalcy, he said.
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