Gakhar Plaza affectees not yet paid any compensation

RAWALPINDI - Affectees of Gakhar Plaza inferno have not the relief amount yet, which was announced by the provincial government. Gakhar Plaza affectees Wednesday held a press conference here in Rawalpindi Islamabad Press Club, which was attended by the Sheikh
Hafiz President Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Rawalpindi Cantt, Muhammad Zia Ullah President Gakhar Plaza business community and a large number of traders.
Addressing on the occasion, Muhammad Zia Ullah said that concerned authorities including MCO and Cantonment Board were creating hurdles in the reconstruction of the plaza despite knowing the fact that hundreds of traders bread and butter coincided with its reconstruction.
He said that Punjab government at the time of mishap announced Rs 2 million for the government employees who lost their lives, while Rs 0.5 million for the common people and Rs 50,000 for the injured, however, he accused the government that it dispersed the compensation amount among the government employees while the common people and injured were yet deprived of the compensation.
The injured who had undergone treatment even bought medicines from their own pockets, he added.
Adding salt to our injuries different banks using harassing tactics through their private nefarious elements against the traders who had taken loan from them. Different traders who had been dealing with the banks to run their businesses had Rs 25 million collectively debt on them however they had paid Rs 70 million as mark up against the original amount so far but the banks were still harassing them. He threatened that they would disconnect all their dealings with the banks if they continued harassing traders, said Sheikh Hafeez.
He said that the Punjab government, prior to governor rule in the province, had announced a three years Rs 120 million loan for the traders without any interest through the Bank of Punjab, however, the government did not fulfil its pledge so far, he lamented.
He said that the government by not fulfilling its pledges has forced the small businessmen to earn lively hood by establishing small makeshift stalls.
They demanded of the Punjab government and the federal government to address the grievances of poor traders and release the compensation amount for the common people and bound banks to not pressurise them. They also demanded of the CM Punjab to wipe out all the hurdles in the way of reconstruction of the Gakhar Plaza.