02 August 2004	Monday	15 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

ISLAMABAD, Aug 1: Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has announced compensation to the tune of Rs0.5 million for each bereaved family of the victims of Friday suicide attack on Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz at Fatehjang.

Talking to newsmen and electronic media representatives the prime minister said no one can pay compensation for the supreme sacrifices offered by the blast victims. But the government was duty-bound to do its best for the welfare of the bereaved families.

The prime minister, who was in Murree for the last two days drove straight to the residence of Shaukat Aziz on Sunday, to inquire about his well-being. Later, the prime minister attended a condolence meeting at prime minister's house to offer Fateha for the departed soul of late Abdur Rahman driver of Mr.Aziz who lost his life in the attack.

On this occasion, he announced compensation for the bereaved families of every deceased who lost his life in the blast. He also said every injured person admitted to hospital would be paid compensation of Rs 50,000 each.

He announced special package for the bereaved family of the deceased driver Abdur Rahman including Rs.one million cash, an immediate employment to his eldest son at PM house to enable him retain official residence allotted to his father, and financial assistance and scholarship for the children for their higher education by Ch.Zahoor Elahi Trust.

The compensation to the driver's family include Rs.0.3 million earlier announced by Mr Shaukat Aziz and Rs 0.1 million by the federal government. One son of the deceased has been provided a job at Punjab House with government of Punjab.

Premier Hussain said one next of the kin of each deceased person will be provided a job either in the federal or provincial government. Earlier, the prime minister condoled with the children of the deceased driver and expressed his heartfelt sympathies with them.

Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, PML Secretary General Mushahid Hussain, some parliamentarians and senior officials were also present on the occasion. The prime minister later left for Lahore on a two day visit where he will participate in the inaugural ceremony of a new television channel "Business-plus".