ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: A committee, which was constituted to assess losses suffered by people when Millat-i-Islamia Pakistan (MIP) activists rioted after funeral prayers of Maulana Azam Tariq on October 7, has completed its report and recommended Rs1.6 million for riot-affected persons.

This was stated by Assistant Commissioner (City) and committee’s chairman Zafar Iqbal, while talking to Dawn here on Monday.

The chairman said final meeting of the committee was held at his office. The meeting discussed each and every case, and compensation was recommended against all the claims submitted by the traders and the general public, he added.

Mr Iqbal said the compensation case of gutted Melody Cinema could not be decided as the owner had so far not submitted his claim.

The assistant commissioner (AC) said a technical committee comprising two or three engineers was likely to be formed to asses damages at the cinema.

He said the compensation was recommended against actual claims made by the affected people and the report in this regard had been forwarded to the interior ministry for further action.

The damage to shops and other property amounted to Rs0.8 million, while Rs0.8 million has been recommended for cash and goods allegedly looted by the MIP activists, Mr Iqbal said.

Compensation will be given to traders of Aabpara Market, Melody Market and other individuals whose vehicles and houses were attacked by the mob, he added.

Meanwhile, a source in Islamabad Capital Territory administration told Dawn that on the day of rioting, the owner of Melody Cinema had claimed Rs50 million to cover the damages. However, the assessment committee was of the view that the losses in the cinema did not exceed Rs20 million, he added.

The source said the losses of traffic signals, estimated at Rs7 million, would be borne by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

In this connection, Superintendent of Police (SP), traffic, Zubair Hashmi said a summary had been presented to the CDA for repair of signals, which were damaged by the mob.