Gilgit-Baltistan: Legislator among Watan card beneficiaries

MQM legislator Raja Azam Khan among 99 beneficiaries who were issued Watan cards in Gilgit-Baltistan.


Express December 05, 2010

GILGIT: MQM legislator Raja Azam Khan is among 99 beneficiaries who were issued Watan cards in Gilgit-Baltistan, sources said on Saturday.

The list of Watan card beneficiaries, issued by Nadra, contains the names of 99 ‘victims’ of the Shigar sub-division, including the name of the lawmaker as a potential beneficiary eligible for compensation, an official said.

He said that the inclusion of Raja Azam’s name among the flood survivors was made after the district administration conducted a “detailed damage survey”.

“The team collecting data about flood damage found that an otherwise affluent Raja Azam was one of the ‘deserving persons’ eligible for the scheme. This is perceived by many as a ruse of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to buy future votes,” he stated.

Raja Azam had earlier knocked out his opponent Imran Nadeem, a strong PPP candidate, in the 2009 Gilgit-Baltistan general elections after gaining the support of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Last month, former deputy chief executive G-B, Peer Karam Ali Shah had also availed the facility of Watan card, after declaring that his losses ran into millions. The incident made headlines as hundreds of victims complained of being completely overlooked.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2010.

COMMENTS (1)

burhan | 13 years ago | Reply deserving people are ignored in distribution of these cards, i belong to yasin and my home is partially damaged and lot property including crops , damaged ,all serveyed and declared deserving by the team but card not given.... v went to AC then DC but still no output 4m them.... surprised that people like this man and peeeeer karam sahab have been issued cards ....:(
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