PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has initiated the payment of more than Rs5.76 billion in total funds to traders affected by the military operations in North Waziristan after a period of five years.
According to reports, the military operation Zarb-e-Azb, launched in 2014, against terrorists in North Waziristan affected 6,969 traders of Miranshah Bazaar. According to estimates, traders of Miranshah Bazaar claim to have lost Rs21 billion due to the destruction caused to the market and trading goods.
The KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Pervez Sabatkhel said that the provincial cabinet had decided to compensate the traders for which a committee headed by provincial law minister Sultan Muhammad Khan was formed. The five-member committee includes the provincial finance minister, relief secretary and home secretary.
After negotiations with the traders committee and district administration, the KP provincial government released relief cheques to 200 traders on the first day, paying them a total of Rs5.76 billion. The committee formed by the district administration and the traders associations will distribute weekly relief checks to other traders after conducting inquiries.
KP Provincial Assembly Member Mir Kalam Wazir said that all business activities at the Miranshah Bazaar had came to a complete halt due to terrorism and the Zarb-e-Azb operation adding that the compensation provided by the government would help cover their financial losses, revive businesses and generate employment opportunities.
Mir Kalam further informed that the traders in Miranshah Bazaar estimated more than Rs21 billion in losses however, the district administration has so far distributed just Rs1.4 million to those who claimed a loss of more than Rs3 million, Rs0.8 million to those who claimed a loss between Rs2 million and Rs3 million. Additionally full amounts are being paid to traders claiming a loss of less than Rs0.3 million.
According to sources, the KP government’s list of the affected traders for the relief package, also includes names of people who don’t have a shop in the affected market.
Additionally, according to sources, funds for the traders of Miranshah Bazaar are being provided from the Accelerated Implementation Plan (AIP) which is an injustice with the people of tribal districts as the main aim of AIP is the completion of uplift projects in tribal districts.
Is it true that beside the 5.76 billions 2 billions also approved for the miranshah traders