Life of the displaced: Families of slain IDPs receive Rs1m each

Two tribesmen died on June 22 when forces fired at protesters

BANNU: Commissioner Asmatullah Khan Gandapur disbursed monetary compensation among families of those killed and injured in the Baka Khel Camp firing incident. “The displaced families from North Waziristan Agency are our guests,” said Gandapur at the occasion.

Two people were killed while 11 were injured at Baka Khel Camp on June 22. Security forces had opened fire and baton charged internally displaced persons (IDP) protesting for better facilities at the camp.

The commissioner gave out bank cheques to the deceased’s families, from the Pakistan Army and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government. Both entities respectively paid Rs500,000 to the families of each of the deceased. The army and the government collectively gave Rs250,000 to the injured.

Gandapur expressed solidarity with victims of Baka Khel camp firing and offered his condolences.

Though, he said, financial compensation was never an alternate for human loss. “Such incidents occur because of misunderstandings. No one wants their guests to go through such misery,” said Gandapur.

A jirga was also held at commissioner’s office. The jirga was attended by officials,    Utmanzai elders and victims’ family members at Baka Khel Camp.

Elders of the Utmanzai tribe appreciated the efforts of the army and political administration to resolve issues of clean drinking water, electricity and transportation of Baka Khel Camp.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2015.