Better late than never: Owners paid for vehicles damaged on Benazir’s death

KARACHI:

The federal government has started the process of distributing compensation cheques to the transporters whose vehicles were torched and damaged in the aftermath of the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27, 2007.

The cheques were presented by the chief minister Qaim Ali Shah and the federal finance minister, Ishaq Dar, at CM House on Saturday.  More than 900 claims were received by the Sindh government, out of which, 781 cases had been recommended by the scrutiny subcommittee. The compensation cheques of 32 claimants were meant to be distributed at the ceremony, however, only 23 showed up.

The CM recalled that the assassination of Benazir Bhutto was an emotional time for the people of Pakistan who had reacted strongly and caused damage to many vehicles and properties. The transporters had invariably been the victims, he lamented.

“We realise that transporters are the backbone of the national and provincial economy. We had therefore assigned the city’s commissioner to collect, scrutinise and prepare a list of transporters who deserved compensation,” he said.

The federal government had set aside Rs242.5 million as compensation money.  Federal finance minister Ishaq Dar said he had received the transporters’ complaints during his last visit to Karachi and had assured them of getting their problems resolved. He thanked the Sindh government for completing the assessment work.

Meanwhile, the United Goods Transporters Alliance welcomed the move. UGTA spokesperson Fazal Manan Jadoon the total count of vehicles is far more. “We are happy and thankful to the government for realising our losses.”

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2013.