Pakistan pins quake recovery hopes on donors' conference

ISLAMABAD, Friday (AFP) - The future of Pakistan's earthquake survivors hinges on an international donors' conference that begins here today.

Thousands could be left without shelter to help them survive the Himalayan winter unless foreign donors produce the money to help them, aid agencies warned ahead of the meeting.

Even if they survive the snow, which has already begun falling in parts of quake-hit northern Pakistan, their longer-term future also depends on the international community's financial support.

"Long-term relief and reconstruction would mean creation of new cities to relocate people before their cities can be rebuilt. This can take any time between one year to five years," foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam told AFP.

The United Nations has still only received about a quarter of its 550-million-dollar emergency appeal for aid over the next six months, vital to get food and shelter to people before the bitter winter.

Long-term, Pakistan needs about 5.2 billion dollars and is pinning the hopes on Saturday's conference.

For the short-term relief and rehabilitation it has received pledges of 2.46 billion out of which only 211.2 million has been received, according to government officials.

"It will be a ministerial-level conference and around 50 countries have been invited," Aslam said. A foreign ministry statement said 25 nations had confirmed their attendance.

In addition, about 30 international organisations and 15 international financial institutions are also to attend the gathering, which is due to open at 8:00 am (0300 GMT) at Islamabad's Convention Center.

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf will unveil a strategy on plans to handle the mammoth task of rehabilitation of the victims, and reconstruction of infrastructure devastated by the October 8 earthquake in the country's northern regions.

The quake killed more than 73,000 people in Pakistan, left 3.5 million homeless, and also killed more than 1,300 in India.

Aslam said the needed 5.2 billion dollars included 3.5 billion dollars for reconstruction and 1.5 billion dollars for the ongoing relief activities. An additional 200 million dollars is required for rehabilitation of displaced people.

Authorities have imposed tight security for the meeting where UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will be the top foreign dignitary.

On arrival, Annan appealed for generosity.

"I would expect... those who have the capacity to be generous to give and give willingly and I am not only speaking to the governments, but also to the private sector and individuals, who have been generous," Annan said.

"We have received some response, but we need much, much more to be able to help the people in need," Annan said. "We need more resources, not just for emergency but also for recovery and reconstruction."

UN and other aid agencies have repeatedly warned of a new wave of deaths if survivors on the Himalayan snowline are not protected against the harsh winter which is just 14 days away.

"Donors must properly respond to the needs and pay a lot more than they have, and the UN should scale up their operations to save people from the harsh winter," Ben Phillips, regional policy coordinator for the British-based charity group Oxfam, told AFP.

Analysts said the conference would be a critical test of how far the international community was willing to help Pakistan, a key ally in what the US calls a war on terrorism.