Cross-border firing victims given cheques

AJK senior minister says those killed are heroes

MUZAFFARABAD: Families of the 11 bus passengers who were killed when Indian security forces targeted them from the other side of the Line of Control last month, were given compensatory cheques by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday.

On November 23, Indian forces had targeted a bus which was travelling to Neelum valley along the LoC. As emergency services moved to evacuate the injured, Indian forces directed their fire on them as well.

Handing out the cheques, AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider said that 13 of the 49 constituencies in the region were located close to LoC and that he was aware of the sufferings of people living on the LoC.

AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir said that those who were killed by Indian firing would receive Rs1 million as compensation, while the injured would get Rs0.2million.

The houses which were damaged, Qadir said owners would get Rs1million for a house which was destroyed; those whose houses were partially damaged would get Rs0.5 million.

The AJK speaker said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was due to visit the valley to meet relatives of the victims, but he could make the journey owing to the weather.

Prime Minister AJK Farooq Haider, Legislative Assembly Speaker Shah Ghulam Qadir and Senior Minister Tariq Farooq distributed the cheques among the heirs of those who lost their lives in passenger bus attack. Senior Minister Tariq Farooq Said that people who were killed by cross-border firing along the LoC were heroes.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2016.