Tirah Valley traders demand compensation

BARA: Anjuman-e-Tajiran of the Maidan area in Tirah valley have demanded the government to announce compensation for the traders who had suffered during militancy.

Speaking at a press conference in the Bara Press Club, Anjuman-e-Tajiran Tirah valley President Muhammad Sharif, Abdul Ghaffar, Fazal Rabi, Yar Muhammad, Bara traders union president Said Ayaz Wazir and others said the markets of the tribal people were destroyed during militancy in Tirah valley and Bara.

Over 1650 shops in various bazaars were destroyed when militants attacked the Tirah valley in 2013, Muhammad Sharif said, adding of these 750 belonged to the Malikdinkhel tribe. He said 350 shops were destroyed in Bar Bagh, 250 in Kamarkhel, 25 in Shalobar and 25 in Bhutan and 50 in central Bagh. The elder said the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) did not provide assistance to the traders.

The office-bearer said the government had promised to extend compensation package, especially to the Tirah traders but the promises were never honoured. Muhammad Sharif maintained that the homes, hujras and business centres were destroyed six years ago but the government and NGOs did not provide any financial help to the affected people.

The government should conduct a survey to assess the damage to markets in Maidan area of the Tirah valley as soon as possible, he demanded. Meanwhile, President Anjuman-e-Tajiran Bara, Said Ayaz Wazir said the transporters were facing a host of problems during travel to Tirah. Several transporters complained that they were asked to unload vehicles for checking, he said adding, it created problems for the drivers.