IOM today signed agreements with local contractors to assist the
government of Pakistan with 13 projects to rehabilitate and
reconstruct infrastructure damaged by military operations in
Malakand division last year.

The signing, which was jointly organized by the Northwest
Frontier Province (NWFP) government and IOM in Peshawar, is part of
the multi donor-funded Pakistan Humanitarian Response Plan (PHRP)
2009 and followed consultations between the NWFP government, local
communities and IOM to identify infrastructure rehabilitation and
rebuilding needs in Swat, Buner, Dir and Malakand districts.

"We are working with the government at federal and provincial
level to rehabilitate and rebuild infrastructure to help ensure
sustainability for displaced families returning to their places of
origin," says Hassan Abdel Moneim Mostafa, IOM Regional
Representative for West and Central Asia.

The infrastructure rebuilding activities will include:

In Buner:

• Provision of a drinking water supply scheme in Daggar
  village.
• Rehabilitation of drinking water supply scheme in Shanai
  village.
• Surface treatment of a road from Baj- Katta village to Mandao
  Maira village.
• Construction of link road from Mulla Sar village to Kadha Khail
  village.
• Completion of drinking water supply schemes for the villages of
  Assu Dara and Jawar.

In Lower and Upper Dir:

• Reconstruction of a damaged Government Girls High School and
  Government Technical College in Wari Union Council.
• Building a flood protection wall at Baroon village.
• Access to drinking water for Nawagai Payeen village.
• Rebuilding of a damaged Government Girls Middle School in
  Chukyatan Union Council.

In Swat:

• Construction of a concrete road and drains at Khonachum and
  Baligram villages.
• Rehabilitation of three water supply schemes in Mohallah
  Mohammad Rahman, Rang Mohallah and Saidu Sharif villages.
• Building of a concrete road and drains in the Barkaly and City
  Mill areas.

In Malakand:

• Rehabilitation, improvement and extension of a drinking water
  supply scheme in Aladand village.

Each project will have an oversight committee comprising IOM
field staff, representatives of the district administration and
influential members of the community to address issues relating to
security during implementation and ensure community ownership.

Besides generating jobs and income for local people, the
projects will help to restore pre-conflict standards of living and
reduce dependency on relief aid.

According to the Malakand Development Strategy of the Provincial
Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PaRRSA), economic
growth and infrastructure development are crucial to the recovery,
stabilization and development of the conflict-affected areas.

"The NWFP government highly appreciates IOM's continued support
for the needs of the internally displaced and for post-conflict
rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in these areas," says
PaRRSA Director General Shakil Qadir Khan.

The project has also been developed to meet needs identified in
the government's Malakand Development Strategy, the Conflict Early
Recovery Initial Needs Assessment conducted by the humanitarian
community, and the Damage and Needs Assessment carried out by the
international financial institutions.

For further details, please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Islamabad

Tel:  +92-300-856-0341

E-mail: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int">srehmat@iom.int