KARACHI, Jan 31: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has collected 2,571 claim forms submitted by the victims of the arson and looting spree in Sindh during the disturbances that broke out across the country following the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in Rawalpindi on Dec 27 last year. The collective amount sought by the affected people appeared to be more than Rs3 billion.

This was stated by Dr Farooq Sattar, deputy convener of the MQM coordination committee, at a press conference held at the party’s headquarters here on Thursday. He said that the victims of violence in Karachi alone numbered 1,297 who sustained losses to the tune of Rs2.03 billion.

Dr Sattar said that miscreants torched and ransacked 62 MQM offices in the interior of Sindh, besides dozens others in different parts of Karachi during the three day violence. The party has also filed claims for compensation.

Shahid Latif, a member of the coordination committee, told Dawn that the claims filed by the victims of the disturbances were not those filed by the MQM.

He further clarified that the 2,571 claims were only those which appeared complete in all respects and the actual number of the claims filed was much higher.

Dr Sattar said that the claim forms duly completed and endorsed by the MQM complaint cells had been documented and forwarded to the competent authorities. “The cells will remain in touch with the authorities till the disbursement of the compensation to the affected people,” he added.