HYDERABAD, Dec 28: While it will be hard to overcome the loss the country suffered with the assassination of its brilliant leader and internationally known politician Benazir Bhutto, it will be equally hard to erase memories of how widespread damage was caused in Sindh as a result of rampage which followed the tragedy. The government is yet to compensate those who were affected by the riots.

For people it came like a bolt from the blue at the time of Maghrib prayers on Dec 27, 2007. Entire Sindh went up in flames. Following the news, this correspondent left office to assess the post-assassination scenario that turned out to be another tragedy. A series of violent events started to unfold throughout Hyderabad city, making it almost impossible to reach anywhere.

Violent mobs were burning vehicles, banks, government offices, filling stations. Soon it was a nightmare amid sounds of gunshots with streetlights either switched-off or smashed.

The riots continued for a couple of days with law enforcing agencies nowhere to be seen and it appeared as if the rioters had been given a carte blanche to ravage the city.

Arsonists burnt all sorts of vehicles including rickshaws, buses, vans, cars and motorcycles. They made no distinction when it came to properties while fire tenders operators avoided risking their lives in troubled areas. Even fleets of vehicles, government and private, meant for election campaign, were burnt.

“I have no remorse for burning a government building as it was a smaller thing for me after losing Benazir Bhutto who was our saviour”, said a local Pakistan People’s Party activist. “Nothing was of value for me on that night”, he recalled. He was booked for arson but later acquitted.

People also looted money from ATMs and shops before burning them. In Hirabad, a toy shop was looted. “I saw people taking away each and every thing worth hundreds of thousands of rupees as police did nit turn up”, said shop-owner Saleem Ahmed.

After normalcy returned, police under the directives of the caretaker regime, lodged hundreds of cases against PPP activists and leaders for arson and violence. They were, however, granted bail or cases were withdrawn by the government.

The federal government formed a commission for assessment of damages and to recommend compensation. Various sub-committees were formed to assess damage to industries, heavy vehicles, properties and loss of lives.

Sindh revenue department sources said that Rs12.9 million for 43 deaths (Rs300,000 each) and a total amount of Rs107 million had been recommended for payment to riot victims.

However, the amount has not yet been released and there is anxiety among riot victims whether they would at least get something out of their claims for damages.

While losses run into tens of millions of rupees, the government will compensate victims as per policy and rules. The affected people are likely to get only a marginal amount of the cost of the property or vehicle was burnt. There are cases in which people lost their only source of livelihood in the shape of a van or a rickshaw.

They had to start from scratch. Now they are just hoping against hope that they would get something out of claimed damages.

The federal government had hired services of the National Insurance Company which then appointed a sub-surveyor for survey of damaged property, including industries, to verify whether they have already been paid insurance and to cut cost of depreciation of property.

For instance an old restaurant of the city was completely burnt and its management estimated its losses at Rs8 million but the surveyor recommended Rs3.8 million for payment. “We opened the restaurant this month after rebuilding it at a cost of Rs9 million”, said restaurant manager Rizwan Pathan.