SERRA Secretary Khalid Mehmood Mirza said that it is not possible to avoid the dangerous consequences of illegal and unplanned construction on natural waterways. It is regrettable that we have not truly learned any lesson from the devastating earthquake of 2005, the subsequent floods of 2011, and then 2022.
Addressing local government officials at the Civil Services Academy in Lalamusa, Mirza shed light on the ongoing reconstruction efforts in earthquakeaffected areas. This fiscal year, the government has allocated one billion rupees to finalize nearly completed projects in education.
SERRA Additional Secretary Abid Ghani Mir explained that institutions like ERRA, SERRA, and PDMA were established for rehabilitation and reconstruction. SERRA initiated 7,608 projects in Azad Kashmir in the education, health, and governance sectors. While the majority have been completed, lack of funds has stalled others or prevented them from even starting. Two decades after the 2005 earthquake, 200,000 children in Azad Kashmir are still deprived of proper classrooms. These incomplete projects require 44.125 billion rupees.
Mirza emphasized the importance of advance planning, safe construction practices, and timely precautionary measures to minimize losses from natural disasters. He attributed the recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, GilgitBaltistan, and Punjab largely to the construction of encroachments along riverbanks and natural waterways. He expressed regret over the recurring pattern of inadequate planning despite repeated disasters. Mirza stressed the crucial role of community involvement in adopting safety measures, saying that government and international aid cannot address every situation.