May 11, 2006	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 12, 1427

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KOHAT, May 10: Authorities have decided to pay compensation for people killed and injured and business losses in Hangu blasts and their aftermath after the provincial government receives the promised grant from the federal government, official sources said on Wednesday.

“The provincial government has already sent Rs80 million to the DCO for distribution among the families of the dead, injured and business community as its share. However, the administration has decided to start distribution of compensation after acquiring the whole sanctioned amount of Rs360 million.

“This will help a lot in normalising the situation because the victims of blast and violence are being used by certain leaders for gaining political mileage out of the sensitive issue.”

It has been learnt that investigators had identified about three dozen of the arsonists who torched 625 shops, private and government vehicles and also snatched guns from the security personnel.

However, the administration had to delay the arrest of the criminals on the request of the grand jirga which thought that it would affect the smooth continuation of talks between the communities for finding a permanent solution to the sectarian issue.

It may be recalled that during the peace talks the administration which was under pressure from the Sunni supreme council registered criminal cases against two councillors and a school teacher for taking part in the violence on the basis of solid evidence but they went underground.

Later, the Shia side threatened to boycott peace talks demanding quashing of the FIR against the accused, taking the plea that the arsonists acted unintentionally in anger against the bomb blast therefore they could not be held guilty.

However, the Sunni supreme council which had linked the arrest of the criminals with the peace negotiations from the very first day withdrew its support to the grand tribal jirga in protest when the other community did not bring 80 sheep to apologise for taking part in the violence under the tribal custom of Nanawatay.

To a question that should not the law take its own course under any circumstances and criminals be arrested and punished, a senior police official replied that some sinister elements were trying to sabotage peace efforts; therefore, the action against arsonists had been postponed for the time being. They would be brought to justice at all costs but at an appropriate time.

Terming the claims of the Sunni supreme council that the grand tribal jirga from Orakzai had ceased to exist as it had lost the confidence of the communities, he said that it was still intact and would soon resume its efforts, adding that the jirga had temporarily suspended its proceedings because of unnecessary interference from certain political quarters, which was affecting the peace process.