Quake victims' sufferings: Saudi KARCPP's director vows full support

Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victim (SPAPEV) has completed 8000 shelter houses in the earthquake affected areas of 2005, of which 4000 shelters were erected in Balakot city and 4000 shelters in Muzaffarabad and Bagh cities at a cost of $ 36 million.
This was revealed in a meeting of Saudi-based relief organisation, King Abdullah Relief Campaign for Pakistani People (KARCPP) and Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra).
KARCPP country director Khalid Al Othmani in a meeting with Acting Deputy Chairman Erra, Brigadier Abu Bakr Bajwa on Friday assured to extend maximum support to alleviate miseries of the current quake victims as well as of October 8, 2005 with dedication.
Saudi delegation head said that relief organisation which formed in Riyadh ensured best utilisation of Saudi public donations collected from Saudi people on the call of government for the earthquake affected areas.
Acting Deputy Chairman Erra eulogised Saudi organisation which earlier served in KP and Azad Kashmir under the name of Saudi Public Assistance for Pakistan Earthquake Victim (SPAPEV).
Moreover, he thanked for the assistance provided by the SPAPEV for the earthquake affected areas.
Khalid said that eight health facilities were also completed in Muzaffarabad and Mansehra. He said that the process of completion of these health facilities was supervised by the Unicef. He added that five educational facilities were completed in earthquake affected areas while seven are in planning stage.
Acting Deputy Chairman said that Erra has the pride to build above 600,000 housing units and 10,000 other structures which are seismically resistant, adding with the grace of Allah Almighty after 8.1 richter scale jolt, no damage occurred to the structures built by the Erra.
He said that in district Shangla, Erra-constructed buildings remained undamaged which shows that the authority strictly follows building codes. During the meeting, he also called upon Saudi delegation head that construction of transitional houses in FATA was underway. He requested Saudi government to assist in construction of these houses.