UPPER DIR, July 30: Survivors of the recent thunderstorm and flash floods in the Nashnamal area held a demonstration in Dir on Monday in protest against the government, accusing it of being indifferent to the plight of the affected people.

The protesters said they would hold another demonstration in Darora on Wednesday if they did not get compensation by then.

They alleged that relief goods provided by the federal and provincial governments had either been misappropriated or given to ‘favourites’.

Accusing the local administration of discrimination, they said that preference had been given to people who had lost their family members in the calamity while other people had been ignored.

Mian Gul Hambar, whose crops were swept away by floods and a large portion of farmland destroyed by erosion, alleged that relief goods provided by the federal government had been distributed in the Galkor, Tarpatar Gorkoi, Dunyeel, Jabai and other areas that were not hit by floods. “All relief goods were distributed on political basis,” he remarked.

Another villager Tooti Rehman said that the chief minister had directed the local authorities to give affectees compensation ranging between Rs10,000 and Rs25,000.

But, he alleged, they had so far not received any money.