Violence following BB's assassination: Sindh transporters still not compensated

The compensation money for transporters has still not been paid despite passing of three years, the historical damage caused hundreds of millions loss after Benazir Bhutto's assassination across the country particularly in Sindh. In this regard federal government set-up a high level committee in 2008 which prepared a report in three months while federal government has refused to pay the compensation amount that was approved by the committee which is around Rs 242, 525,000 (24.25 Crores).
The committee chaired by the Federal Home Secretary Syed Kamal Shah at that time. The body comprised four provincial home secretaries, Additional Secretary Fata, Chairman Pakistan Postal Office, Secretary National Disaster Management, Special Home Secretary Sindh Rasheed Alam, Secretary Highway, Secretary Finance and two representatives from Karachi Goods & Carriers Association, Khalid Khan and Nadir Khan, who were representatives of transporters.
Khalid Khan was the President of Karachi Goods & Carriers Association (KGCA) during 2006-2008 who played very active role for transporters to get the compensation money but all efforts gone in vain and so far the provincial government also showed unwillingness to pay the amount despite passing three years.
Former KGCA president Khalid Khan while talking to the Business Recorder here on Monday said that he had met with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani twice over this issue. On one time when the PM attended a wedding ceremony where Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah, Shehla Raza and Deputy Speaker Nisar Khoro and others were also present he tried to brought this issue into his knowledge, Khan said.
Discussing about the details of the committee, a sub-committee was formed which continuously held the meeting in Karachi, in which Special Home Secretary Sindh Rasheed Alam, deputy secretaries of all four provinces, Fata secretary and Islamabad secretary at that time included, Khan remembered. Besides that various district committees were formed led by District Co-ordination Officer (DCO) according to the districts in the Sindh and Punjab.
The district committees first assessed transporters claims and then verifying through various procedures and then recommended to the sub-committee where once again the claims were re-checked and minimised the amount, KGCA former president said. According to the documents of the report available here with Business Recorder the figures show about the transparency and effectiveness level done by the district and later sub-committees.
Around 968 vehicles were destroyed, burnt, damaged and made unusable. Transporters in Sindh claimed for the compensation initially was Rs 2.735 billions which was too exaggerated while the district committees analysed and minimised the amount to Rs 1.064 billions, however, the sub-committee also rechecked these claims and further minimised to Rs 242, 525,000 (24.25 crore). Khalid Khan said the amount (Rs 24.25 crore) was approved by the federal committee and the claim report was sent to the Prime Minister after signing by all the top level secretaries.
When asked why such large containers, trucks, trailers and busses were gutted and became disable, the former KGCA replied that such explosive chemical was used which also utilised later on after Ashura blast at Bolton Market last year. He said the committee was supposed to deal with commercial vehicles whereas hoping that DCO Karachi at that time Javaid Hanif compulsory pay the compensation to the individuals. When asked about the present status of the compensation, he replied that during the 2009-10 term, there was another President KGCA Noor Khan Niazi, who did not take such interest to follow the case.
Few weeks back owing to the irregulations during KGCA election, the Secretary Industries and Commerce, Government of Sindh, Zameer Ahmed Khan dissolved the association on November 29, 2010 and appointed Assistant Director Industries & Commerce, as Administrator with immediate effect and ordered to conduct the affairs in fair manner and hold the election free and fair in the 90 days and hand over the office to the elected members. When contacted, President Karachi Transport Ittehad Syed Irshad Hussain Bukhari said Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Sindh Government have refused to pay the compensation money.