Raised expectations: NGO’s office vandalised by ‘beneficiaries’

More than 200 women accuse NGO chairperson of fraud.

FAISALABAD:

Some 200 woman vandalised the office of a non government organisation when they did not get food rations they were promised.

The protesting women damaged office property near Mujahid Hospital Chowk in Madina Town and the NGO’s chairperson’s vehicle.

The women, mostly widows, said the NGO called the Sonia Naz Human Rights Organisation had charged them Rs500 to Rs5,000. They said they had been told to collect rations on January 30. On Wednesday, when they arrived at the NGO’s office to collect the ration, they were told to come another day.

On Thursday, when they were again told to return, they attacked the office.

They said they believed that the NGO’s chairperson, Sonia Naz, fled with their money.

The women first surrounded the office building and then broke into it. They also pelted stones at the building, breaking most of its windows. The staff said as the crowd pelted the office with rocks they were forced to escape through the back door.

The protesting women remained in front of the office for some time and shouted slogans against the chairperson.

One of the protesters, Shakeela Anwar, said that she had raised the money she gave the NGO with great difficulty hoping to get a month’s ration.

“My kids are crying for food. How will I feed them now?”

She said the protesting women all had the ration cards issued by the NGO.

Another protester Tabassum Bibi told The Express Tribune that she had paid Rs5,000 to the NGO. She said she worked at a garments factory and did not enough money to feed her children.

The protesters demanded that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif take notice of their predicament and stop such NGOs from “cheating the poor”.

Police were called and the women were told to leave. They refused to leave, but dispersed when they were threatened with a baton-charge.

SSP (Operations) Sadiq Ali Dogar assured the women that the police will investigate their complaint and that they their money would be returned.

A fraud complaint was registered against Naz at the Madina Town police station.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Naz denied the allegation. She said if ration cards had been issued by the NGO, the women would get the rations. She said there was some delay, but that did not mean that the money had been embezzled.

She regretted that the protesters had caused hundreds and thousands of rupees of damage to the office and her vehicle. She said she would hold a press conference in a few days.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2013.