Devastating blaze: Bahria Town compensates Timber Market traders

KARACHI:

Property tycoon Malik Riaz distributed cheques to the victims of Timber Market at the Sindh Governor House on Friday. He handed over Rs1 million to each of the 42 families.

Speaking on the occasion, Malik Riaz, who is also the chairman of Bahria Town, said, “The same amount would also be given to other victims who lost their warehouses and shops during the fire.”

Governor Sindh Dr Ishratul Ebad, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, MPAs and representatives of business community were also present, where MQM chief Altaf Hussain also addressed the participants.

Malik announced that he would turn Karachi into an advanced city like Hong Kong and entire world would be proud of it. “You have suffered irreparable loss and we are giving you a token money,” he said, adding that Karachi is a city for all Pakistanis and it was his duty to serve the people.

He vowed Bahria Town would also provide Rs42 billion to start metro bus service in Karachi. Malik Riaz also announced Rs10 million for Karachi Press Club.

Governor Sindh appreciated Bahria Foundation’s efforts, calling Malik a ‘statesman’. Meanwhile, MQM chief Altaf Hussain in his address urged Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah to probe into the incident and provide relief to the victims. “Chemical might have been used to put the shops on fire in the Timber Market,” he said.



Compensation for families of martyred policemen

Families of nearly 20 policemen who lost their lives in the line of duty were earlier provided with cheques worth Rs1 million as compensation along with 125-yard plots. This was done at an event organised at the Central Police Office by Bahria Town on Thursday.

Last year alone, more than 186 policemen were targeted by militants in Sindh - around 136 were killed in Karachi. Their families, according to the police department, received the compensation late due to a shortage of funds.

The compensation and plots were given to the families as promised by Bahria Town’s Malik Riaz in November 2014, after signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Sindh police to provide help to the families of the policemen who died while on duty. The MoU was signed by IG Sindh Ghulam Hyder Jamali and Bahria Town’s chief executive Zain Malik.

Bahria Town had agreed to give the families a package of Rs4.5 million - Rs1 million in cash and a plot worth Rs3.5 million. While speaking at the event, IG Jamali highlighted sacrifices made by the personnel of the police force and said there was a decrease in street crime and target killing incidents in Sindh.

Zain Malik, who was also present at the event, said that they wanted to support the families and wanted them to know that they were not alone.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2015.