BANNU: The office-bearers of the North Waziristan Car Dealers Association on Tuesday urged the government to compensate them for the losses they had suffered during the military operation launched to crush militancy.
Speaking to the media after a jirga at Shah Fahad Bargain Centre, president of the association, Said Kamal Dawar, vice-president Malik Muhammad Rasool Khan, general secretary Malik Kamal Shah, Malik Saeedullah Noor, Malik Asmatullah, Malik Hidayat Khan and others said the government had compensated owners of the houses, markets and filling stations for their losses during the operation.
They said their businesses had also been destroyed in the operation but nothing had been paid to them so far to compensate them for the losses.
“We, too, are among the affectees as our business of showrooms with costly cars had also suffered huge financial losses, but ironically our grievances are not being addressed,” Said Kamal Dawar said. They suggested that the people in North Waziristan should also be allowed to keep non-custom paid vehicles like in Swat, adding, the Ghulam Khan Checkpost should be shifted from Zero Point to Saidgai Checkpost.
The dealers urged the government to declare Miranshah and Mir Ali ‘ tax-free zones’ so that the affected people could resume business activities there.