Kuwait to construct 700 houses for quake-hit Pakistanis

(With Photos)

ISLAMABAD, Nov 2 (KUNA) -- Kuwait will construct 700 prefabricated houses for the quake-stricken people of Pakistan, as a part of its efforts to help its brotherly Muslim country to overcome the crisis created in the aftermath of the Oct. 8, 2005 giant earthquake.

A four-member delegation of the Kuwait Joint Relief Committee (KJRC), headed by Faisal O. Al-Jeeran signed an agreement Thursday in this regard here with the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) of Pakistan. ERRA chairman, General Nadeem signed on behalf of Pakistan.

" We are really grateful to the KJRC as well as the Kuwaiti government and people in helping us coping with the disaster. This has indeed reflected the good mutual relations between the two countries," said ERRA chairman, General Nadeem, while talking to KUNA.

Earlier, KJRC had proposed to build 200 houses but they themselves extended the number of houses to 700, said Gen. Nadeem, adding, "It's really very kind of them."

According to the terms of the agreement, the KJRC will construct houses with the help of the Pakistani engineering company, High Tech Engineers, in the new Balakot city of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The houses would provide shelter to nearly 35,000 people.

The city of Balakot was completely destroyed in last years earthquake which registered a magnitude of 7.6. Along with the houses two schools, one hospital, two mosques and six shops would also be constructed.

General Nadeem said that the houses will not only help ease the tension of people without shelter but also would set standards for future construction. "This would help kick start the reconstruction process of the government of Pakistan in the area," he said.

The sole purpose of constructing houses is to help people of Pakistan and the government, said Faisal Al-Jareem, the General Secretary of KJRC. Later, the delegation held a meeting with Gen. Nadeem at his office and discussed construction related matters. The delegation personally asked the ERRA chairman to ensure quality of the houses.

The delegation would also visit the construction site next week. Gen. Nadeem would be accompanying them. Kuwait pledged USD 100 million to Pakistan immediately after the earthquake hit a large swath of the country, killing as many as 73,000people and rendering homeless about 2.5 million others. Kuwait has also built a hospital in the Garihabibullah district, where the earthquake caused about 50 to 60 percent destruction.