PESHAWAR: With the anniversary of the twin blasts at Peshawar’s All Saints Church drawing near, financial aid was distributed on Monday among victims of the worst ever attack on the city’s non-Muslim population, which claimed more than 100 lives.
On September 22, 2013, two militants targeted the church located in Kohati on a Sunday morning a little after the day’s Mass had concluded and parishioners were pouring out. The blasts claimed nearly 105 lives and left around 150 people injured.
On Wednesday, K-P Governor Sardar Mehtab Abbasi distributed the relief cheques donated by the government of Sindh among families of the deceased and those who were injured. The ceremony was held at the Governor House.
The Sindh government had earlier announced the aid for the rehabilitation of the families affected by the attack. It had been directed by Pakistan Peoples Party Co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to do so.
Rs0.5 million was given to each family which lost a loved one in the blasts, while those who sustained injuries were given Rs0.3 million.
Various members of the PPP attended the ceremony, including opposition leader in the National Assembly (NA) Khurshid Shah and former provincial minister Syed Zahir Ali.
Speaking on the occasion, Governor Sardar Mehtab Abbasi said all political parties need to work collectively because the country is facing numerous challenges, including militancy.
The governor thanked the Sindh government and the leadership of PPP for extending their support to Christians in Peshawar as well as to people who have been displaced from North Waziristan Agency.
NA opposition leader Khurshid Shah said the aid given to the bereaved families could not heal their wounds but would at least help minimise their miseries.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2014.
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