MANSEHRA, Aug 29: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of various political and regional parties, constituted to fight for the rights of earthquake survivors, on Wednesday filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court, seeking a ban on employment of non-locals in non-governmental organisations and payment of compensation for the damaged houses in a single instalment to the victims, JAC convener Amjid Salar Khan said.He said due to four instalments, the survivors could not rebuild their houses even after the passage of two years.

Giving details of the writ petition, Mr Amjid Khan said that the federal government did not fulfil its promise made with the survivors of the earthquake regarding provision of natural gas to earthquake-hit areas of Mansehra and Battagram and even the feasibility report had not been prepared till now. Besides, he said, the tribal areas of Kala Dhaka, Pakhal Valley and Tanawal had been excluded from the gas provision.

Referring to non-governmental organisations, he claimed that local and international NGOs had openly violated the UN charter and appointed non-locals in their organisations, depriving the locals of jobs despite the presence of local expertise required for such jobs.

He said these “unlawful practices” of NGOs would no more be allowed as the economy of the local people had been shattered and thousands of people killed and rendered homeless by the devastating earthquake and now they were being deprived of jobs and people from other parts of the country were being provided jobs.

He said the Joint Action Committee had not only sought the help of the top court in these sensitive issues, but also demanded payment of compensation for the damaged houses in a single instalment of Rs175,000.

He said because of the payment of compensation in four instalments, reconstruction of houses could not begin even after the passage of two years.