Under winter skies: Owners of damaged houses in Bajaur, Mohmand still not compensated

Over 150 stranded passengers rescued from Lowari Tunnel

SHABQADAR/ CHITRAL: Rain and snowfall have added to the miseries of quake victims in Bajaur and Mohmand agencies. All the while, the political administrations have yet to provide compensation for the reconstruction of damaged houses.

The Bajaur and Mohmand political administrations have admitted the compensation has yet to reach affected people. However, they added the process was under way as FATA Disaster Management Authority had released the necessary funds. A Bajaur official added a survey of the damaged houses has been completed, but the re-verification process is continuing and they hope to provide the money by next week.

FDMA Relief Director Dr Qasim revealed a survey of Bajaur Agency had been completed; it identified 1,050 homes were destroyed, while 3,250 were damaged.

Starting in Khyber

“The federal government has released Rs645.3million to FDMA in response to our demand of Rs767.2 million and we transferred the money to Fata’s political agents for distribution,” the relief director said. He pointed out distribution would start in Khyber Agency and Bajaur’s turn would come next week.



Meanwhile, quake-affected people complained teams distributed food packages and other goods in the days after the October 26 temblor, but survivors had been banned from reconstructing damaged homes. They said winter had set in and survey teams were still busy in remote areas.

According to survivors, rain and snowfall have compounded their miseries. Saleemullah Khan, living in a tent with his family in Bajaur, complained the rooms of his house had been damaged and he was unable to reconstruct them. He said relief teams had been strictly prohibited from reconstructing homes, while he and many others were not in a financial position to complete the exercise.

Affected families were worried they would be unable to manage in the rain and snow.

Stuck on the top of the world

Over 150 passengers who were stranded near Lowari Tunnel for more than five hours were rescued on Thursday morning. They were en route from Peshawar late Wednesday night when heavy rain and snowfall on Lowari Top blocked their route.

Teams of Chitral Scouts, police and army personnel went to their rescue and heavy machinery was used to remove the snow.

Heavy rainfall in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa caused the roof of a house belonging to Muhammad Ali to collapse. A mother and two sons were injured. The incident occurred in Lakki Marwat. The injured were shifted to Bannu Hospital for treatment. A met office spokesperson in Peshawar said dense fog is also expected to prevail over the plains in Peshawar.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th,  2015.