Vendor killed in anti-encroachment drive: CDA official asked to extend assistance to heirs

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety has directed Director General (DG) Enforcement, Capital Development Authority (CDA), to compensate late Rehri Baan Abdullah who died during CDA’s anti-encroachment operation in the federal capital.

The committee meeting which was held here on Thursday under the chairpersonship of Saira Bano and expressed serious grief over the sad demise of a handcart pusher managing both ends meet through selling fruits, vegetables and other goods.

The committee directed the CDA to immediately extend financial assistance to late Rehri Baan Abdullah who expired as a result of a ruthless anti-encroachment operation conducted in Sector I-10 Markaz Islamabad a few days back and submit a report to the Committee.

The Committee was informed that Rehri Baan Scheme under Ehsas Program was launched in different sectors of Islamabad however on receipt of reports relating to illegal occupation of footpaths and parking areas by Rehri Baans, the said operation was conducted.

The Committee noted that Abdullah, the one under discussion, was a licensee thus showing displeasure to the DG (Enforcement) directed to give financial assistance to the family of poor Rehri Baan and submit a report in the next meeting.

Briefing the panel Chairman, National Disaster Management Authority Lt Gen Inam Haider about the distribution of relief funds among people of flood-affected areas said that in pursuance to the direction of the prime minister, NDMA provided ex-gratia assistance of Rs1,000,000each for next to kin/legal heirs of deceased through relevant Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA), State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA)amounting to total Rs1.013 billion.

Similarly, on the direction of the prime minister, NDMA disbursed an amount of Rs250,000,000 to the government of Balochistan through their PDMA for arranging machinery and other de-watering equipment required for clearance of inundated cultivatable land in Balochistan.

Moreover, the Finance Division had allocated Rs18 billion for the NDMA to provide relief to flood victims of which Rs10.802 billion has been spent on procurement of non-food Items which include tents, tarpaulins, mosquito nets, blankets, etc and food packs. He said that Rs500 million has been spent on the logistics of relief goods to affected areas.

He further held that as per directives of the prime minister, a Joint Survey and Damage Assessment of the flood-affected and notified calamity-hit areas was conducted by Provincial Governments/PDMAs, duly assisted by NDMA and Pak Army. Joint Damage Assessment (JDA) Teams comprising provincial officials, rep of ex NDMA and rep of ex Pak Army were deployed at provincial, district and tehsil levels for planning, coordination and monitoring.

Ground Damage Assessment (GDA) teams led by provincial officials; not below Tehsildar/ Naib Tehsildar or equivalent from Pak Army, conducted ground damage assessment.

Damage Assessment Reports are to be finalized by provincial governments and a duly vetted copy by DG PDMA, approved by Chief Secretary and Rep of ex-NDMA and Pak Army is to be shared with Federal Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives.

The process of JS/DA has been completed, however, the Provincial Governments of Punjab and Sindh Provinces have not shared their respective finalised reports, despite continuous/regular correspondence.

Compiled reports will be prepared on receipt of final reports from all provinces for decision of Federal Cabinet for the issuance/allocation of funds for rehabilitation/reconstruction phase.

The committee noted that prima-facie, there seemed to be lack of coordination among the NDMA and PDMAs/ DDMAs thus, decided to invite representative from PDMAs in the next meeting. The management of NDMA was however directed by the committee to evolve an integrated system to cope with such climatic disasters in future.

The Committee while considering “The Zakat and Ushr (Amendment) Bill, 2023” recommended that the National Assembly may pass the same. The meeting was attended by MNAs; Malik Sohail Khan, Muhammad Hamid Hameed, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Shagufta Jumani, Farukh Khan, Salahuddin and Naveed Amir Jeeva, parliamentary secretary, and officers of Benazir Income Support Program (BISP), NDMA and Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan (USC).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023