PESHAWAR, April 22: The Hangu city, which saw worst riots on Feb 10 after powerful suicide bombing, still lies in ruin owing to the rift between district Nazim and the provincial government, hampering peace efforts and revival of economic activities.

The old city, ransacked and burnt, has been abandoned. Now two new makeshift bazaars on the east and west sides of the old city are being constructed to cater to the needs of the uprooted residents.

All public and private educational institutions have remained closed in the city since clashes hit the town as threats of violence still looms large.

Local population has been suffering due to shortage of medicines and people shift patients to Kohat and other towns, said a doctor.

Drug stores in the town were also set on fire.

The violence, which erupted after violence, had reduced the entire town into ashes, bringing trade and commercial activities to a standstill. About 44 people were killed and more than 100 were wounded.

According to the official figures more than 620 shops and 100 cabins were torched. Streets and bazaars are still littered with burnt goods. Uncertainty in Hangu is also taking toll on the people of the adjacent tribal areas including Orakzai and Kurram agencies.

Growing uncertainty is forcing shopkeepers and vendors to shift their business activities to the under construction makeshift bazaars, being established without planning. Sources said that even people had shifted their business to other towns like Doaba and Thall, west of Hangu.

Information gathered by Dawn from different sources and residents said that ongoing tug of war and rivalry between the district and provincial governments were spoiling peace efforts and the area was still tense.

District Nazim, Ghani-ur-Rehman, who belongs to the Pakistan People’s Party (Sherpao), complained that the provincial government had never invited him on any meeting relating to law and order, peace efforts or any other matter linked to the tragedy.

“I am helpless. The provincial government is running everything through remote control from Peshawar and the chief minister and his cabinet members had never sought my opinion to resolve the issue”, Mr Rehman said.

The district Nazim said that people were reluctant to resume business activities in the shunted town unless federal and provincial governments release compensation amount. The provincial government had set up a committee, which estimated total damages worth Rs1.49 billion.

Mr Ghani said that under the Local Government Ordinance the provincial government was bound to take the district Nazim into confidence on all issues, but the MMA government bypassed all norms and values and he had not been included in any committee etc.

The NWFP government had announced Rs100,000 for each dead. Sources said that the provincial government had released only Rs 80.7 million to pay compensation to the affected people, while the federal government had announced Rs280 million.

The NWFP minister for information Asif Iqbal Daudzai, who is spokesman for the MMA government was not available for comments.