Flood victims sell off Watan Cards

MULTAN: In Daira Din Panah Watan Cards worth Rs20,000 were sold by flood victims for Rs80,000 to Rs85,000. After the government’s announcement that flood victims would receive Rs100,000 as total compensation for their losses, many have begun to sell off their Watan Cards to the highest bidder.

On Saturday flood victim Rehman sold his Watan Card for Rs85,000 and bought a Rs79,000 Honda motorcycle.

Rehman said that there was a rumour circulating in the district that one could also procure a Saudi visa with their Watan Card.

“I want this visa for my son and so I sold off my card,” Rehman said, adding that the Watan Card he sold had been printed on stamp paper and the man he sold it to had assured him he would receive a visa within the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Aisan Wala flood victims recently attacked the Watan Card distribution centre in Rohela Wali after they were not issued Watan Cards.

After the encounter, the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) officials fled the scene. Some of the flood victims said that they had been beaten with sticks by NADRA staff earlier in the week and this led to hundreds of flood victims storming the office to get their Watan Cards.

Aisan Wala residents Ghulam Haider Wain, Mian Manzoor Hussain, Dr Mushtaq, Jam Gunman, Jam Niaz, Attaullah, Malik Sarfaraz, Muhammad Wasim, Ahmed Ali accused the deputy district officer revenue (DDOR) of demanding a Rs1,000 bribe from several flood victims for issuing their Watan Cards to them.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2010.