NAROWAL: The government’s Ehsaas kafalat initiative seems high on promise as the deserving women face an ordeal every month to get Rs14,000 assistance.

A number of women have protested against the officials who allegedly commit irregularities in the distribution of money. A centre has been set up at Sports Gymnasium on Circular Road where hundreds of women visit every day to seek financial assistance. Only two counters have been set up for the distribution of money and women of all ages queue up at the gymnasium around 6am whereas the staff arrives at 10.

There are inadequate arrangements for the visitors who have to sit on the ground while waiting for their turn. Some of the women carry children with them and there is no facility of drinking water and fans despite sweltering weather.

Hajran Bibi and Sughran Bibi, who came to the Ehsaas kafalat centre to collect money, said the agents got Rs2,000 from each woman to help her in immediate payment of money. They said they had been coming to collect money for the last three days but to no avail.

Asia Bibi and Bilqis Bibi said the women who grease the palms of the officials were accommodated.

Others including Reshma Bibi and Parveen Akhtar said only two counters had been set up in the gymnasium hall for the distribution of money. They said that after distributing the money for two hours, the staff frequently stops working on the pretext of disruption of the internet system which delayed the process.

They corroborated that the distribution staff received Rs2,000 through their agents and paid Rs12,000 to the beneficiaries.

“Women who pay bribe are taken to another room and asked to return through a backdoor after payment,” a visitor alleged. She said the women were also being robbed in the name of tokens.

They demanded that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar take notice and help the eligible women get succour with dignity.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2022