According to the Damage Needs Assessment (DNA) Report, which was prepared by Asian Development Bank and World Bank stated that this estimated amount will cover the Social Sectors (Livelihood and Social Protection, Housing, Education, Health, and Environment); Physical Infrastructure (Transport, Water and Sanitation, Energy, and Governance Infrastructure); and Productive Sectors (Private Sector, Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation).
According to report, the highlights of the DNA findings are: 79 percent of the total estimated early reconstruction needs are for the five NWFP districts and the remaining 21 percent are for the two FATA agencies. Social Sectors have the highest total needs of $361 million, which is 33 percent of the total estimated needs followed by Productive Sectors, $296 million (25 percent).
The reconstruction needs for Physical Infrastructure are estimated to be $273 million (26 percent of the total). Within the Social Sectors, the estimated needs for Livelihood/Social Protection and Housing are $192 million and $82 million, respectively. In the Physical Infrastructure, the bulk of the total needs of $273 million are for the Transport sectors ($246 million).
As for the Productive Sectors, $284 million out of a total of estimated needs of $296 million are for Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation. The Damage Needs Assessment Report mentioned that in April 2009, the Government of Pakistan requested International Financial Institutions including the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to launch and lead a rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (DNA) for medium to long term recovery in the five crisis affected districts of NWFP and two tribal agencies of FATA.
The strategic objective of carrying out and implementing the DNA is to help create conducive conditions for immediate recovery and rehabilitation in the most severely crisis-hit areas of NWFP and FATA, including the return and resettlement of IDPs.
According to report, the broad scope of work of the DNA includes: (a) quantification and validation of physical damages caused by the crisis; (b) development of sector level strategies for the immediate restoration of (public and private) infrastructure, services, and livelihoods, and; (c) quantification of corresponding needs in respect of the immediate reconstruction and rehabilitation of critical damaged infrastructure and services and the restoration of livelihood opportunities.
In view of the complex nature of the crisis and in order to comprehensively address the root causes of the crisis the Government has also requested the assistance of the World Bank (WB) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in leading a systematic Post Crisis Needs Assessment (PCNA).
The PCNA will cover the immediate post crisis transition and stabilisation phase, medium term transformation, as well as the longer-term institution building, consolidation and development periods. While the PCNA exercise is already underway separately, the DNA is deemed to be part of, and aligned to, the 3-stage PCNA framework for incremental crisis recovery.
Report mentioned that the DNA used primary inventory-based and selective percentage-based post-crisis damage data provided by the Government of NWFP and the FATA Secretariat with the co-ordination of the Provincial Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PaRRSA).
Analytical and physical validation of data has been done by WB-ADB teams, employing various techniques (such as relative-to-baseline analyses, disaggregated analysis at various levels, comparison of data across horizontal and vertical data streams), validation through site visits, project-based field resources and civil society organisations.
Furthermore, crosscutting principles and broad sector strategies for reconstruction applicable to each sector - based on policy parameters laid down by the Government - have been developed and recommended. Assessment and quantification of recovery and reconstruction needs in each sector are based on policy parameters and sector strategies agreed upon during discussions with the NWFP Government and FATA Secretariat.
For Agriculture, Housing, Social Protection, and Private Sector, the DNA teams considered various reconstruction scenarios and relevant options. Report stated that the North West frontier region of Pakistan has historically held a strategic importance, as the gateway between Central Asia, the Middle East and the vast plains of the Indian subcontinent. The region presents the considerable challenges of arduous mountainous terrain with equally difficult access.
Tribalism is deeply rooted in the region. The post 9/11 war on terrorism is viewed by many as a struggle not against any single nation but against the group (s) of fundamentalist militants - skilled in asymmetric combat maneuvers and guerrilla tactics. The center of this war has been localised in the remote mountains and valleys of Pakistan's north-west frontier region including the tribal belt of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
While aspiring to achieve long-term sustained peace and development, the war on terrorism has also triggered a range of geopolitical fallouts including the gradual deterioration of the law and order situation in the region. The government initially attempted to contain the militants through dialogue and negotiations.
After these attempts failed, a military operation was launched in early 2009 with the consensus of the political, administrative and military leadership. This operation caused an internal migration of colossal proportions from the embattled areas, with an estimated two million people becoming internally displaced as a result of crisis.
While the operation is seen as well-intentioned, it has imposed an immense cost on the local economy, as large numbers of people have been forced to leave their homes and livelihoods, while considerable damage has been caused to physical and social infrastructure, report added.
ADB-WB report said that the ensuing fighting between the military and the militants also caused many deaths, injuries, and damages to private and public property. Houses, standing crops, livestock, schools, health facilities, water supply/irrigation schemes, public office buildings, roads, electricity/gas networks, shops, hotels, businesses, all suffered damage to varying degrees.
While the military action re-established the Government's control in the region over a relatively short period of time, there are still pockets of militant resistance. In July 2009 the GoP lifted restrictions on the return of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), as a first step to boost confidence among residents.
The government also initiated an early recovery process, in particular to address the IDP needs, but also to re-establish its administrative control in the affected settled districts that are progressively and slowly recovering from major crisis.
The government has moved quickly to address all aspects and consequences of the crisis on hand. The relief efforts have included rescue efforts and distribution of relief goods including tents, blankets food, water, etc, among the IDPs. The Government is also facilitating the return of IDPs by providing cash grants, transport, and basic food requirements until December 2009, ADB-WB report concluded.