HYDERABAD, July 16: About 150 people of Khathar, affected by rains last year, held a protest demonstration outside the press club here on Thursday against refusal of the National Bank of Pakistan, Fatima Jinnah Road branch, to cash their compensation cheques.

Talking to journalists, Nazar Hussain Chhalgari, Bachu Chhalgari, Qasim Shoro and others said the EDO, revenue, had distributed 235 cheques of Rs4,000 each among the rain victims on July 11.

They said when they presented the cheques at the NBP branch, they were advised to open individual accounts. However, they complained that on their request, the bank refused to open their accounts.

They demanded that authorities concerned should either pay the compensation amount to the affected people in cash or direct the bank to open their accounts.