Supreme Court seeks record of 2005 earthquake funds
ISLAMABAD: On Wednesday, the Supreme Court ordered the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) to provide detailed information regarding the funds that were received and used to rebuild the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts following the earthquake in 2005.
Reconstruction of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s earthquake-damaged areas was the subject of a suo motu case before a three-member bench of the supreme court, presided over by Justice Ijazul Ahsan (KP).
On the following hearing day, the court also ordered the chief secretary and secretary for relief work to appear in person.
A director of Erra testified before the court during the hearing that Balakot and Mansehera’s repair and building projects cost Rs205 billion.
Justice Ahsan then inquired about the financial audit and ordered the representative to provide the Auditor General of Pakistan’s audit report (AGP).
The judge noted that residents of the affected districts had been promised the New Balakot City and added that substantial funding had been set up for it. The judge ruled that the court should know how the money was used.
The court ordered Erra to provide a thorough report that included a detailed account of all funds received domestically and abroad, their use, any residual funds, and their custodian.
The hearing was postponed for four weeks while the court also ordered the KP chief secretary to provide a separate report on the funds intended for the reconstruction of earthquake-affected communities.
Greater accountability of public funds will be achieved as Supreme Court seeks record of 2005 earthquake funds
