Majority turns out ‘ghost’ flood loss claimants

Published November 20, 2014
This photograph taken from a Pakistan army helicopter shows residents affected by flooding with their belongings in Chiniot district in southern Punjab Province on September 12, 2014.— AFP/file
This photograph taken from a Pakistan army helicopter shows residents affected by flooding with their belongings in Chiniot district in southern Punjab Province on September 12, 2014.— AFP/file

CHINIOT: A vast majority of people who had claimed to be deprived of flood compensation, turned out ‘ghost applicants’ during a scrutiny, says Punjab Cooperatives Secretary and In-charge of flood compensation disbursement in Chiniot district, Babar Hayat Tarar.

He said the people who had claimed to be deprived of compensation, were asked to file their applications. Out of 9,654 applications received, 5,235 were scrutinised and 99.9 per cent of them turned out fake as the claimants did not suffer losses at all during flood.

He said the chief minister had visited to the area on Friday last where a large number of people lodged a protest and claimed that they were denied compensation. At this, the chief minister had directed the administration to invite applications. He said 12 scrutiny committees were formed to verify credentials of the claimants. He said out of 5,235 applications scrutinised, only two cases were found correct. According to the findings, a farmer got compensation for four acres against his claim of seven acres while another one’s land lay in the river and his case was being probed.

He said documentary proof of the ‘fake’ applicants along with photographs and videos had also been attached with files for further action.

Chiniot District Coordination Officer Dr. Irshad Ahmad said 92 per cent (Rs540 million) of payment had been made under a transparent mechanism.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2014

Opinion

Editorial

Energy inflation
Updated 23 May, 2024

Energy inflation

The widening gap between the haves and have-nots is already tearing apart Pakistan’s social fabric.
Culture of violence
23 May, 2024

Culture of violence

WHILE political differences are part of the democratic process, there can be no justification for such disagreements...
Flooding threats
23 May, 2024

Flooding threats

WITH temperatures in GB and KP forecasted to be four to six degrees higher than normal this week, the threat of...
Bulldozed bill
Updated 22 May, 2024

Bulldozed bill

Where once the party was championing the people and their voices, it is now devising new means to silence them.
Out of the abyss
22 May, 2024

Out of the abyss

ENFORCED disappearances remain a persistent blight on fundamental human rights in the country. Recent exchanges...
Holding Israel accountable
22 May, 2024

Holding Israel accountable

ALTHOUGH the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor wants arrest warrants to be issued for Israel’s prime...