KARACHI, Sept 3: The victims of Imambargah Ali Raza and Hyderi Mosque bomb blast tragedies were presented cheques of compensation at a simple ceremony held at Governor’s House on Saturday.

The heirs of 48 deceased and 182 injured were presented compensation cheques of Rs0.2 million and Rs30,000 respectively.

The amount was paid on behalf of the federal government on the directive of President Musharraf while the Sindh government had already paid an equal amount to the heirs of deceased and the injured sometime back.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Governor Ishratul Ibad said that the government fully shared the agonies and sufferings of the victims of terrorism. In all such cases, he said, the government acted on twin strategy - firstly to catch the culprits involved and take them to task and secondly to help compensate the victims for their financial losses which they undergo due to death of their bread earners.

He paid tributes to all those who suffered on account of these blasts and set an unprecedented example by bracing the tragedies with utmost tolerance.

The governor said that such acts of terrorism affected both the government and the people. But the terrorists had been encountered with great steadfastness and many of them had been brought before the justice, he added. He also referred to the terrorist attack on Madinatul Ilm and said he had been informed that victims of this incident had not yet been paid compensation. He directed that necessary measures be taken to pay them compensation within 15 days.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq recalled his last visit to Karachi when he met the blast victims and their families and said that on his return he had requested President Musharraf that federal government too should help the victims of terrorism. He reiterated that the compensation cheques were presented on his request. —APP