In a message on the second anniversary of the October 8, 2005 earthquake, he was all praise for ERRA "for successfully converting adversity into opportunities."
"We as a nation can also hold our heads with pride that we faced this challenge with dignity, honour, courage, and an unmatched spirit of patriotism."
The President said it is indeed a long and arduous task to rebuild a 30,000 sq. km area which had been reduced to dust and debris, and rehabilitate 3.5 million souls living across one of the most difficult terrains of the world.
Musharraf said he feels satisfied that in a brief period of time, hundreds and thousands seismically safe structures, including houses, hospitals, educational institutions, roads, bridges and water supply schemes have been reconstructed on the principle of 'build back better'.
He noted that the ongoing process of development has been bringing about phenomenal socio-economic changes in the entire area. "The reconstruction process has generated new opportunities of self-reliance and self-confidence among the people of the affected areas."
Affiliation of more than half a million people with the reconstruction business has ushered in new era of economic activities in the area, which would help improve the living standard of the people.
He hoped that the local and international help for the affected people would continue till the completion of reconstruction and rehabilitation. "We hope that the love and care that the international community, international and national NGOs, the expatriates and the people of Pakistan displayed in addressing the challenges of a great calamity would continue to be with us till completion of reconstruction and rehabilitation operation in every quake hit area," he said in the message.
He assured that the government would utilise every resource at its disposal to provide the affectees even better facilities than they enjoyed in the past. This, he added, will create conducive environment for them to live a better life.