Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has announced a series of significant public welfare projects worth approximately Rs 4 billion aimed at rebuilding communities in Pakistan affected by natural disasters.
This initiative highlights KSrelief’s commitment to sustainable recovery and long-term development in the country.
H.E. Engineer Ahmed Ali Al-Baiz, Assistant Supervisor General of Operations at KSrelief, signed four Joint Cooperation Programs (JCP) with key Pakistani institutions including the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), National Commission for Human Development (NCHD), Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS), and the State Earthquake Reconstruction & Rehabilitation Authority (SERRA). In addition, eight contracts for public facilitation projects were formalized.
The signing ceremony was attended by Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan H.E. Nawaf Bin Said Al-Malki, representatives from the NDMA, and country heads from various UN missions in Pakistan.
These projects span several sectors, including housing, education, healthcare, water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and disaster preparedness. Key initiatives include the construction of the National Humanitarian Response Facility for NDMA, which will enhance Pakistan’s capacity to store and distribute emergency relief supplies. Additionally, 1,000 permanent houses will be built for families displaced by the 2022 floods, benefiting around 7,000 individuals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab.
Another major project involves the construction of 300 Community Feeder Schools across underserved regions like Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. These schools, powered by solar energy and equipped with clean drinking water facilities, will provide education to approximately 15,000 children and indirectly benefit over 100,000 people. The schools will be handed over to the NCHD for long-term management.
KSrelief will also reconstruct four government schools in Azad Jammu & Kashmir, damaged by the 2005 earthquake, ensuring a safe learning environment for 3,400 students. Furthermore, 22 critical facilities, including schools, health centers, and water projects previously built in response to the 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods, will be renovated to improve access to education, healthcare, and clean water.
In total, these projects will directly benefit 360,000 people and indirectly impact an additional 690,000 individuals, reaffirming Saudi Arabia’s ongoing support for Pakistan’s recovery and sustainable development.
