- Minister says payments to affectees would be started from Nov 2 after due verification
- NDMA chief says 266 persons have been reported dead, 1,856 injured due to Monday’s earthquake
Minister for Information Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would personally monitor the distribution of compensation and relief activities in the earthquake-hit areas.
Talking to media, along with National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Chairman Asghar Nawaz, Rashid said steps would be taken to ensure that the compensation amount reached the real victims. The victims would be verified by a three-member committee, comprising a local administration official, a local representative and a Pakistan Army personnel, he added.
The minister said the verification process would take four days and payment would be made from Monday (Nov 2) and the whole process would be completed by Thursday.
He said the compensation would be paid to the families of those who had lost their lives, and the injured, and for the loss of property in the earthquake. He said the PM had announced compensation of Rs 600,000 for each dead, Rs 100,000 for each injured, and Rs 200,000 each for those who have lost a limb.
Similarly Rs 200,000 would be paid for each completely damaged house and Rs 100,000 for partially damaged ones, he added.
He said the compensation cheque amount would be distributed among the earthquake affected people at one point. Bank counters would be established there so that the victims could draw the amount without any difficulty, he added.
Rashid said no amount of money could compensate the pain and grief of the victims, but it was an effort on part of the government to assist them in their hour of need.
He said the compensation amount had been announced after consultation with the KP chief minister. To a question, he said the federal and KP governments were working in close coordination, rising above political affiliations.
“The PM considers himself above the party affiliations. It is our stance that when the leader of any party becomes head of the government he becomes a national leader, and he should think for the welfare of whole nation and prime minister,” he added.
On the occasion, NDMA Chairman Major General Asghar Nawaz said damage assessment survey of the affected areas had been completed and relief operation in the earthquake areas was in full swing.
He said the damage assessment was compiled on the basis of information collected by personnel of armed forces, civil administration and local governments. He said aerial assessment with the facilitation of Pakistan Air Force has also been carried out and data was being analyzed. Satellite imageries of the affected areas obtained through SUPARCO were also being accessed.
The NDMA chairman said 266 persons died and 1,856 were injured due to the Monday’s earthquake and most of deaths were reported from Malakand division where around 11,389 houses were also damaged.