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Swat reconstruction will take three years: ERU

* Officials say WB, ADB involved in estimation of losses
* Report approved by WB, ADB to be shared with donor countries

By Iqbal Khattak

PESHAWAR: Two international financial institutions – the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank – were involved in the validation and verification process of damages and needs assessment in Swat and other Malakand districts where the army has been battling the Taliban, said an official on Tuesday, and estimated that the reconstruction process would be completed in three years.

“The two financial institutions’ involvement will help speed up the process to estimate the exact cost of damages and needs,” Shakil Qadir Khan, a member of the government’s Emergency Response Unit, told Daily Times in an interview.

Authorities put the cost of reconstruction and rehabilitation in Swat at $2.5 billion dollars, but that figure was described as a “very initial estimate” and the amount could increase when the final assessment report comes out.

“The $2.5 billion figure is a very initial estimate,” said the ERU official, who is involved in the second of the three-phased, post-operation plans for the area. “Actual figures will only be available when the final report comes out.”

The ERU official said the report, to be approved by the WB and the ADB, would be shared with donor countries and agencies. “The verification and validation by the two financial institutions would leave nothing to doubt about the exact level of damages and needs.”

Shakil said the reconstruction and rehabilitation of affected areas would be completed in three years if the required money were made available in time.

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