HYDERABAD, May 8: Exhausted by demonstrations, which have so far proved an exercise in futility, 64-year-old Haji Abdul Rauf, who lost his only source of income to post-Dec 27 violence, sounds bitterly disappointed when he talks about the ordeal he has been through.

He has been staging demonstrations on and off since then in a bid to remind the government of the compensation it had promised to give to the affected people of the countrywide disturbances, which cost the national exchequer billions of rupees in damages to public and private property.

Violent mobs torched the five vans he had on Dec 27, 2007 following the assassination of Pakistan People’s Party chairperson Benazir Bhutto in a blast in Rawalpindi.The issue of compensation appears to have been pushed down the government’s priority list by more nagging issues like the judges’ reinstatement and squabbles between the parties while the summary on the compensation lies on Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s table pending his approval, according to sources.

Rauf, who also owns a vans’ workshop, and his friends had rented out vans to a candidate in Tando Allahyar for electioneering. The candidates had obtained around 60 vehicles for the polling day on Jan 8 before the polls dates were pushed back to Feb 18. Of them 21, including those of Haji Rauf’s, were reduced to ashes. “I only collected charred frames of my vehicles. Now I am repairing them but I know I won’t be able to remake them as each vehicle will cost around Rs1 million to get in shape,” said Rauf.

He said that each vehicle earned him around Rs15,000 to Rs20,000 per month. “I have not earned even a single penny since Dec 27. Instead I have incurred extra expenses,” he said.

An unspecified number of vans, buses, trucks, motorcycles, houses, filling stations, shops and restaurants were reduced to ashes I the roits.

The government formed a commission headed by Capt. Usman Ali Essani to assess losses and make suggestions for compensation. The EDOs of revenue under supervision of district nazims carried out assessments of damages in each district.

Only the heirs of the people who died during disturbances on Dec 27 and 28 have reportedly been paid compensation (Rs300,000 each) in some districts by the relief department but compensation for losses and damages to property seems to be taking extra time.

The individual assessments have been submitted to the commission, which has formed two committees to further assess them. Federal secretaries for finance and interior, respectively, head the committees with concerned provincial secretaries as members. “They are yet to finalise their assessment and recommendation,” said a source in revenue department.

Reliable sources said that a summary suggesting Rs107 million compensation for damages had been forwarded to the chief minister for approval.

“The summary has not yet been returned to us but I feel it will be done soon now,” replied a relief department official when asked when the summary was likely to be approved.

He said that the National Insurance Corporation had also been involved in the process of assessment.

Matiari district on the National Highway saw the largest number of trucks and trailers loaded with different goods bound for up and down county set ablaze by angry mobs.

“No, we have not yet been given any compensation for the losses though we have finalised the assessment, which comes to around Rs250 million. The entire revenue record of the district was burnt to ashes and the Hala branch of the National Bank of Pakistan that dealt with government finances was torched,” said Matiari District Nazim Mohammad Ali Shah Jamote.

He said that people were running from pillar to post and post to pillar to get some sort of compensation. “They do approach us but when we tell them that we don’t have anything to give them they return with utter disappointment,” he said.