June 24, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 19, 1429

ISLAMABAD, June 23: Residents of Astore and Diamer, who were affected by November 2002 earthquake, have threatened to block the Karakoram Highway (KKH) if they were not compensated immediately.

Speaking at a hurriedly-called press conference here on Monday, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) Northern Areas Ameer Qazi Inayatullah said the 2002 earthquake had inflicted heavy losses on the residents of Astore and Diamer. He regretted that the victims had not yet been compensated.

The JUI leader said hundreds of people were rendered homeless by the earthquake, while more than 50 people lost their lives.

He lashed out at the government for its failure to give any relief to the affected people even after the lapse of six years.

“The Ministry of Kashmir Affairs has ignored the plight of the affected people.

The army had made a list of the affected families for compensation in 2002 but the federal government has deliberately kept the compensation in cold storages,” Mr Inayatullah asserted.