Quake victims allege favouritism in distribution of relief goods

DIR: The workers of various political parties along with the earthquake-affected people in Wari on Saturday protested against the alleged unjust distribution of the relief goods.
The local leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) also attended the protest to show solidarity with the quake-hit people.
The protesters blocked the Peshawar-Dir road for almost four hours that caused hardships to the passengers.
Later, the protesters held a demonstration at Wari bazaar.
PTI provincial parliamentary secretary MPA Fazal Ellahi, PPP Member Provincial Assembly Sahibzada Sanaullah, PML-N provincial council member Hussain Ahmad, ANP district head Raja Ameer Zaman, JUI-F Wari tehsil head, Malik Wasiat Khan and others addressed the demonstrators.
They said that Upper Dir was the worst hit by the recent earthquake. They alleged that the affectees were deprived of the relief goods and the stuff was distributed among undeserving people.
The protesters accused the assistant commissioner Wari of favouring the workers of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI).
They said that the provincial government had provided tents and other relief items for affected people, alleging that the official in question distributing the goods among JI workers.
The demonstrators alleged that patwaris and other government employees conducting the survey of the damaged houses demanded bribe.
They said that the distribution of the compensation amount had started in other districts, but the dwellers of Wari tehsil were still waiting to receive any help.
The protesters demanded the transfer of the assistant commissioner Wari and an inquiry into the wrongdoings of patwaris and other officials.
A team led by Deputy Commissioner Zakaullah Khattak, District Nazim Fasihullah, DSP Wari Farman Khan and others talked to the representatives of the protesters in Wari. The DC assured the protesters that the relief goods would be distributed among the deserving people. He said stern action would be taken against those government employees, who were found involved in demanding bribes.