PESHAWAR: A group of traders belonging to the North Waziristan tribal district on Thursday took out a rally from Peshawar Press Club and observed a sit-in outside the provincial assembly building to record their protest against non-payment of compensation for their damaged shops in Miramshah Bazaar.

The protesters, led by trader leaders Malik Jamaluddin and Sakhiur Rehman, were holding banners and placards inscribed with their demands. Awami National Party provincial general secretary MPA Sardar Hussain Babak, MPA Mir Kalam and MNA Mohsin Dawar also participated in the protest to show solidarity with the traders.

The trader leaders said that during the operation Zarb-i-Azb, which was conducted to wipe out militants, hundreds of shops were partially or extensively damaged, but the government was yet to compensate the affected people.

They said that following a court decision the government had carried out assessment about the property losses and submitted recommendations for payment of the compensation, but the government did not support the people so far.

Hold rally in Peshawar

Besides, the protesters alleged that the survey done for damage assessment was flawed and several people were left out of it. They said the people as a whole had suffered billions of rupees losses and needed immediate compensation so that they could restart business activities.

They said that the government was under obligation to help rehabilitate their businesses as promised. They said if their demands were not accepted they would be compelled to stage protests outside the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar and Banigala residence of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The lawmakers on the occasion urged the government to compensate the traders as early as possible. Mr Babak said that the protest demonstrations were a proof of the government’s failure to resolve the problems being faced by the people. He said that ANP would support the traders to raise their demands in and outside the provincial assembly.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2020