Nepotism in relief goods distribution protested in Shangla

ALPURI: The flood-affected people on Thursday blocked the main Alpuri-Lilonai road in Shangla for several hours to protest the nepotism in the distribution of relief goods by allegedly the mafia at the deputy commissioner office.

The protesting victims said that floods had caused devastation in various areas but the relief goods meant for them were distributed by the corrupt mafia among their near and dear ones.“The mafia present in the office of the deputy commissioner (DC), Shangla, distributed the aid among their relatives, friends and associates instead of the actual flood victims,” alleged a speaker.

The victims staged a sit-in protest on the road, demanding action against the accused. Later, local police and other officials held negotiations with the protestors, after which the road was reopened.

Near the district headquarters in Alpuri, during the distribution of packages organized by a non-governmental organization under the supervision of the Shangla district administration, the aid was once again distributed among the mafia’s relatives and families instead of the victims.

This sparked intense protests from the victims, who demanded that the provincial government take practical measures against the mafia in Shangla.They insisted that this practice must come to an end, as even Shangla’s development budget was consumed by corruption and contractor mafias and now relief goods are also being misused.

In Shangla, such misappropriation during natural disasters has now become a trend. This region frequently faces natural calamities, but the aid arriving for the victims is always divided among relatives and associates of the mafia inside the DC Shangla’s office, in collusion with Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) staff.