KHAR: The political administration of Bajaur Agency has launched a survey to trace irregularities in payment of compensation to the people affected during military operation in 2008 in the tribal region.

The affected people of the militancy-hit areas in the region were compensated by Fata Disaster Management Authority (FDMA).

Sources said that the survey was launched on the directives of National Accountable Bureau (NAB) to unearth corruption, made in distribution of funds among the affected people.

They said that NAB also sent to the administration the names and data of the people, who were compensated FDMA. The survey was launched about two days ago, they added.

The process has been initiated on the directives of NAB

Sources said that NAB officials had some serious concerns over the distribution of compensation amount among the affected people in the agency.

They believed that the amount was not distributed transparently among the people.

“NAB has asked the administration to launch a comprehensive drive across the agency to find out the causes and trace the officials responsible for the fraud,” said the sources.

A senior official of the local administration, when contacted, said that the survey was launched on the directives of NAB officials to trace the fraud and corruption in distribution of compensation amount in the affected areas of the agency.

He said that several teams comprising senior officials of local administration, activists of various political and religious parties, social workers and journalists were formed for the purpose.

The official said that the teams were tasked to find out that the people, who received the amount, were entitled for it or not. The survey teams were tasked to investigate the issue and expose those people, who were responsible for corruptions and irregularities, he added.

The official said that the teams would visit those houses, which were affected during the militancy in the region. They would meet the beneficiaries of the compensation package and local elders, he added.

According to the official, the members of the teams will match the name of each beneficiary with the list issued by NAB. He said that the survey was likely to be concluded next week.

The official, however, claimed that according to the initial report, a large number of irregularities had been founded in the compensation package in various areas.

“Although the survey is still progress yet a large number of irregularities have been detected in the compensation package in different areas. Hundreds of fake people were registered for the compensation package” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2015

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