NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Traders staged a protest demonstration on Wednesday against delay in payment of compensation to them for their damaged commercial properties.

The traders gathered in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Miramshah, and said Peshawar High Court’s Bannu Bench had about three months ago ordered the district administration to ensure payment of compensation to the affected traders immediately. However, they regretted that the administration was applying delaying tactics.

Shops and other commercial properties in Miramshah and other towns of North Waziristan were demolished during the operation Zarb-i-Azab in June 2014. More than 10,000 shops and markets were demolished in Miramshah alone.

The protesting traders threatened that the affected owners would block roads, including the Pak-Afghan trade route, for an indefinite period if the administration did not pay compensation to them forthwith.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2022