KARACHI, June 16: The Pasban-i-Aza on Wednesday warned that it would hold a protest demonstration in front of the Chief Minister's House on June 20 if the agreed upon compensation was not paid to the families of blasts at Hyderi mosque and Imambargah Ali Raza.

Office-bearers of the organization, along with the victims' relatives told a news conference at the badly damaged imambargah that the new chief minister, during his recent visit to the religious place, had pledged a monthly stipend for the bereaved families. However, they claimed, the government had now retracted its pledge.

Those who spoke at the news conference included Syed Askari Raza, Syed Nayyar Zaidi, S. M. Haider, Syed Shahid Naqvi and Shabbar Zaidi. They described the provincial government's statement, that the cheques of compensation amount were ready, as misleading.

"Only 10 cheques of Rs100,000 each have been prepared and are yet to be issued by the DCO Karachi," they said, recalling that 52 people were killed and more than 150 others injured in the two incidents.

They indicated that the Balochistan government had disbursed one million rupees each among the bereaved families of those who died in Quetta carnage. They alleged that the government had also been showing reluctance in making payment against the free treatment of those injured in the two blasts. Only part payment has been made to the concerned private hospitals, they added.