SC commission raises questions over ERRA's output.

Byline: Syed Sabeehul Hussnain

ISLAMABAD -- The commission constituted by the Supreme Court to ascertain the implementation of projects relating to 2005 Earthquake stricken District Manshehra raised serious questions over the performance of Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority.

The Commission observed that ERRA failed to even update its own project-related information. It is recommended that ERRA, which was established by former military ruler General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf after the earthquake, should hand over all the projects to the concerned departments

The Commission also observed that the diversion of foreign aid to the tune of billions of dollars to other sectors was a fraud to the victims of 2005 earthquake as the aid was taken in their name and for the purpose of their rehabilitation.

In March this year, the top court had initiated its proceedings on an application of resident of District Manshehra accusing the ERRA of looting the foreign aid of billions of dollars leaving behind the rehabilitation work in apathy.

The top court had formed a six-member Commission headed by one Muhammad Zeb Khan and also including representative of residents, representative of ERRA and representative of Mansehra Bar Association.

'This Commission with a heavy heart makes the declaration that the state has failed to address the grievances of the quake-affected people of Mansehra and after a lapse of a decade they still face the same miseries and hardships which they endeavoured post the destructive October 8 of 2005 earthquake,' the Commission report stated.

The report submitted by Additional Attorney General Syed Nayyar Rizvi on behalf of the Commission observed: 'The diversion of the foreign aid to other Sectors, districts and provinces is violation of the solemn pledge made by the State with the quake-stricken people of Mansehra. It in fact defrauded them as the aid was collected in their name and for the purpose of their rehabilitation.'

The Commission demanded of the government to come up to the legitimate expectations of the down trodden and quake-stricken people of Mansehra.

'The State ought to be honest, sincere and upright towards its citizens so as to say that the amount that was received as aid in the shape of loan and grants in the name of earthquake affectees should be spent on them for their rehabilitation.'

The Commission report further lamented that the fate of the mega project namely New Balakot City (NBC) is still...