Afridi orders swift relief for Tirah

CM sets one-week deadline for verification, seeks fast-track payments

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Monday directed the authorities to complete the verification process for the disbursement of relief funds to the affected families of Tirah within one week, stressing that payments must be ensured at the earliest.

The directives were issued during a high-level meeting chaired by the chief minister to review matters relating to the payment of compensation and relief funds to the affectees of Tirah, Kurram and Bajaur.

The meeting was briefed in detail on ongoing relief measures in the affected areas, utilisation of funds and the mechanism for payments.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister emphasised that the verification process for Tirah affectees must be completed within seven days under all circumstances to avoid any further delay in payments. He directed that a complete and transparent digital record of all payments be maintained to ensure proper accountability of every penny spent.

Afridi made it clear that no negligence, inefficiency or mismanagement would be tolerated in the utilisation of funds allocated for the assistance of the affectees. He reiterated the provincial government's firm resolve to utilise all available resources for the rehabilitation and support of people affected by natural disasters and security operations.

The chief minister further instructed the relevant departments to formally write to the federal government for the release of outstanding dues owed to the affectees so that the pending payments could be made without delay. He also ordered the establishment of a special fund aimed at ensuring long-term rehabilitation and assistance for individuals affected by natural calamities and security-related operations.

During the briefing, the meeting was informed that out of the total Rs4 billion allocated for the assistance of affectees, Rs900 million had already been spent. It was also disclosed that the registration of 17,000 affected households from Tirah Valley had been completed.

The meeting was told that relief payments would be ensured for 1,000 households from Tirah on a daily basis. For effective monitoring and transparency, a digital dashboard is being developed to track the disbursement process. Officials also informed the meeting that the affectees residing in the Bakkakhel camp were being provided with relief funds on a monthly basis.