ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: The Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) has requested the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) to direct the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) to pay damages to the people who suffered greatly due to the Gulf War.

LPP Secretary General Nisar Shah, in a letter sent to the head of UNCC mission, said the affected people were still awaiting their claims from the OPF.

Thousands of Pakistani nationals returned home from Iraq and Kuwait after a war broke out between the two neighbours in 1990.

The UNCC had processed the claims and paid compensation for losses and damages suffered as a direct result of Iraq’s 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

Mr Nisar noted that though the UNCC had already transferred the amount of award to the OPF for onward payment to successful claimants, the foundation had failed to transparently distribute the compensations.

He alleged that key officers of the OPF were involved in embezzling the funds using fraudulent and fake documents.

Some of the affected persons had initiated legal action against the OPF in the Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, and the National Accountability Bureau, but the cases were still pending.

An action committee of the compensation claimants appealed to the UNCC to intervene in the issue as a key party and initiate an enquiry against the OPF that was answerable to the UN commission.