Giving Voice to the Voiceless

Date: 8th October 2010

His Excellency British High Commissioner

British High Commission
Islamabad
Pakistan

Subject: DEMAND FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF FACT FINDING MISSION TO

PROBE MISHANDLING OF INTERNATIONAL AID
Honorable Sir,
Hope this letter finds you in good health and spirits. Press For Peace (PFP), an
independent, non-profit and voluntary organisation working for the promotion of sustainable
peace and human development in Jammu and Kashmir as well as Pakistan; appreciates the
role and efforts of British Government for extending help to the helpless peoples stricken
with current worst flood. The role of British Government has also been of great praiseworthy
in historically worst earthquake of 8th October 2005. We also express our gratitude to all
those organisations governmental and non-governmental pitted against such natural disasters
in Pakistan.
However, we are also extremely concerned and perplexed over the misuse of funds
and negligence displayed on the part of those departments solely established for rehabilitation
of earthquake affected areas in Pakistan controlled Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Khyber
Patkhoon Khawa Province (formerly known as NWFP) region.
It is unfortunate to say that more than $450 Million which have been doled out to
Pakistan as foreign aid for the victims of the 2005 earthquake has been diverted by
Government of Pakistan to Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) and other causes, which
have put profound negative repercussion upon the process of rebuilding.
Similarly, a large chunk of aid money has been misused or embezzled by spending on
administrative and non developmental expenditures in Earthquake Reconstruction &
Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA), Provincial Earthquake and Rehabilitation Authority
(PERA) and State Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Agency (SEERA), considered
to be the sole responsible bodies liable for reconstruction of the affected areas.
Today, the people of quake ravaged areas are celebrating the fifth anniversary in an appalling
situation, when thousands of school children are studying in torn tents and large numbers of
families are living without decent accommodation. Hundreds of passengers have lost their
lives in fatal accidents caused mainly by damaged roads. Resultantly, the quite a good
number of these peoples especially women and children affected by these calamities are from
pillar to post. As per statistics and survey from independent sources, only 500 schools have
been rebuilt from 3000 destroyed schools, while work on 800 schools could not be started as
yet. In the same way, only half of the health institutions have been built in AJ&K while the
huge amount of financial aid reserved for the rehabilitation of 6000 special persons have been
squandered and misused.

PFP being representative of voicing the concerns of hapless and helpless peoples of
poor affected communities would like to demand for the establishment of a Fact Finding
Commission comprising of the representatives of all donor countries so as to probe the
alleged irregularities and embezzlement in funds donated for Earthquake of October 08,
2005. The proposed Commission must investigate how much funds from international aid
have been spent on benefits, privileges, administrative costs and other non- developmental
areas?
PFP earnestly urges the donor countries and other circles from international
development organisations to ensure the rightful and transparent spending of humanitarian
aid for earthquake victims by initiating necessary steps. From the reports of media both prints
and electronic, we label the governmental personnel both political and bureaucratic
responsible and involved in the misuse of public money; and they should be brought to
justice by Fact Finding Mission. We also demand that over 500 million dollars spent by UN
agencies should also be investigated because there are complaints of misappropriation of
funds by some of the UN agencies, the situation which also requires independent and
impartial inquiry.
We are fully convinced that you and your country would support these demands to
ensure and guarantee transparency and effectiveness in international aid, which will build the
trust of donors and philanthropists as well.

Looking forward to your kind response in this regards.

With thanking,
Zafar Iqbal
Executive Director
Press For Peace (PFP)
Bank Road, Muzaffarabad, Jammu and Kashmir
Ph: 0092 -5822-445457
Fax: 0092 5822 -445437
Email:info@pressforpeace.org.uk