‘Watan Cards fetching up to Rs10,000’
With long queues and non-functional ATMs, selling seems more profitable.
Watan Card holders have complained that they were being forced into selling their cards for up to Rs10,000 as most of the ATM machines were non-functional or out of cash.
Long queues of people have become a usual site at banks in Muzaffargarh, Taunsa, Rajanpur, Layyah and Rohillawali areas. Talking to The Express Tribune, Watan Card holders raised objections about the process of taking out cash from their accounts.
“I am waiting here from 04:00am in the morning. The bank officials say that the ATM machine is not working,” said one. Another man alleged that the officials were not letting people use the ATM machine on purpose. He said that bank officials were giving out cash to selected people on payment of Rs500 each. He said that he might sell off his card as it was of no use to him, adding, that some people he knew got as much as Rs15,000 for their cards. In routine, he said, people were easily getting between Rs5,000 and Rs10,000 for their cards. A protest was organised in front of the Mianwali district administrator officer’s office on Thursday against the non-issuance of Watan Cards.
Residents of the Yarowal area, led by Advocate Khalilur Rehman Khan, raised slogans against the district and the provincial governments as well as their area MPA Ali Haider Noor Khan. Khalilur Rehman Khan said that the Watan Card was not transparent. The politicians, he said, were using the cards to extract political gains while the deserving were being deprived of them. The protestors tried to break in the DCO office and damaged the entrance doors.
Later, they met with Executive District Officer (Revenue) Muhammad Ashfaq Khan Baloch who assured them that the government had sent their data to the National Database and Regulatory Authority (NADRA). The EDO said that their cards would be distributed among them as soon as soon as the Nadra issued relevant information.
Baloch said that distribution would take place in accordance with the official policy of one card per family. The card, he said, would only be handed over to the head of the family. He said that people who had a legal flaw in their case would not be issued a Watan Card.
Khalilur Rahman alleged that while the deserving were being deprived of their due share, MPA Ali Haider Noor Khan was busy doling out favours to his cronies.
Nothing to fight the cold with:
Rajanpur Kalan residents have complained that the government has not started distributing quilts and blankets. They said that weather in the region was becoming colder with every passing day.
They criticised the government for starting distribution in the Muzafargarh district and ignoring their region. Talking to The Tribune, Manzoor Ahmed, Allah Ditta, Abu Bakr, Muhammad Siddique, Khadim Hussain, Muhammad Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed, residents of Madmantahar, Rasoolpur, Muslimabad, Katcha Chohan, Chak no47 NP and Chak no46 NP villages, said that they were being forced to sleep in the open. “We have nothing to cover our children and protect them from the cold weather. They said that the provincial government should take notice of the situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2010.
Long queues of people have become a usual site at banks in Muzaffargarh, Taunsa, Rajanpur, Layyah and Rohillawali areas. Talking to The Express Tribune, Watan Card holders raised objections about the process of taking out cash from their accounts.
“I am waiting here from 04:00am in the morning. The bank officials say that the ATM machine is not working,” said one. Another man alleged that the officials were not letting people use the ATM machine on purpose. He said that bank officials were giving out cash to selected people on payment of Rs500 each. He said that he might sell off his card as it was of no use to him, adding, that some people he knew got as much as Rs15,000 for their cards. In routine, he said, people were easily getting between Rs5,000 and Rs10,000 for their cards. A protest was organised in front of the Mianwali district administrator officer’s office on Thursday against the non-issuance of Watan Cards.
Residents of the Yarowal area, led by Advocate Khalilur Rehman Khan, raised slogans against the district and the provincial governments as well as their area MPA Ali Haider Noor Khan. Khalilur Rehman Khan said that the Watan Card was not transparent. The politicians, he said, were using the cards to extract political gains while the deserving were being deprived of them. The protestors tried to break in the DCO office and damaged the entrance doors.
Later, they met with Executive District Officer (Revenue) Muhammad Ashfaq Khan Baloch who assured them that the government had sent their data to the National Database and Regulatory Authority (NADRA). The EDO said that their cards would be distributed among them as soon as soon as the Nadra issued relevant information.
Baloch said that distribution would take place in accordance with the official policy of one card per family. The card, he said, would only be handed over to the head of the family. He said that people who had a legal flaw in their case would not be issued a Watan Card.
Khalilur Rahman alleged that while the deserving were being deprived of their due share, MPA Ali Haider Noor Khan was busy doling out favours to his cronies.
Nothing to fight the cold with:
Rajanpur Kalan residents have complained that the government has not started distributing quilts and blankets. They said that weather in the region was becoming colder with every passing day.
They criticised the government for starting distribution in the Muzafargarh district and ignoring their region. Talking to The Tribune, Manzoor Ahmed, Allah Ditta, Abu Bakr, Muhammad Siddique, Khadim Hussain, Muhammad Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed, residents of Madmantahar, Rasoolpur, Muslimabad, Katcha Chohan, Chak no47 NP and Chak no46 NP villages, said that they were being forced to sleep in the open. “We have nothing to cover our children and protect them from the cold weather. They said that the provincial government should take notice of the situation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2010.