The Bank's Director General for South Asia Kunlo Senga who visited Pakistan on November 8-9, 2005 assured senior government officials that ADB is committed to support Pakistan in reconstruction and rehabilitation effort.
During his visit to Pakistan he met with senior government officials including Dr Salman Shah Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Hina Rabbani Khar State Minister for Economic Affairs. He expressed his deep regrets on the huge loss of life and property following the earthquake disaster that struck Pakistan on 8 October.
The Director General also discussed progress on the damage and need assessment being undertaken jointly by ADB and the World Bank. He met with major development partners to discuss co-ordinated donor support in the affected districts.
He also visited the earthquake-affected areas of NWFP and AJK in a scheduled helicopter flight of the Aga Khan Foundation that was transporting relief goods to these areas. The purpose of the visit was to get first-hand idea of the extent of the damages in the area and the ongoing humanitarian assistance operations.
Senga visited Allai, Batgram, Balakot, and Garhi Habib Ullah in NWFP, and Muzaffarabad, Garhi Duppatta, Bagh, and Chakoti in AJK. He had an aerial view of the damages in the area and also received detailed briefings from the concerned military officials engaged in the ongoing rescue and relief operations at Batgram and Garhi Duppatta.