PHOTO: RadioPakistan
Ranna Khan, who lost four sons, Awal Gul, who lost three, and Ziarat Gul and Khayali Gul, who both lost two sons, while many like Mamoor Khan, who lost their only sons, sat despondently in the political administration’s compound.
Mamoor Khan is currently taking care of his son’s widow (his daughter-in-law) because she had no other relative.
They were all invited to attend a jirga called by the political administration of Lower Mohmand to discuss the package announced by the governor.
Now they have all been informed that the administration was unable to fulfill the benefits announced in the package.
The package was announced by the Governor when he visited Ambar on September 17 after the bomb blast killed at least 36 persons, mostly teenagers.
Awal Gul told The Express Tribune that the Governor announced employment to all heirs of the blast victims, but when he applied for a job in the Khasadar Force, the administration outlined such rules which he was unable to fulfill.
“I am well above 30 years of age and under government rules, I am not eligible for a post in the Levies Force … I have no boys and I have to look after my five daughters … who will now be employed in my quota? He questioned.
According to him, the administration had previously announced that employment would be provided irrespective of the rules. “They are now citing every rule in the book,” he complained.
He said that if the government was sincere, it could dispense with the rules, allotting them jobs in the Khasadar Force, irrespective of their ages, adding that there were no service rules for employment in the Khasadar Force.
Ziarat Gul who lost two of his sons recounted a similar tale of woe. According to him, officials had told them to apply for posts in the Levies Force, and now, no one in their area could qualify for the posts.
Citing rules, he said that the administration was now telling them that the minimum qualification for joining the Levies Force was secondary school education, but there was no high school in their area. Mamoor Khan, who lost his only son Ibrahim Khan, said that he was now above 40.
He said that at his age, he could not even apply for a job in the Levies Force. “The only option left for people like me is a special appointment in the Khasadar Force.”
He said that some blast victims such as Fazal Rabi, Nasseeb Gul, Lal Saeed and Jehanzeb Khan had no children. “How can their heirs be provided employment under such rules?”
Ranna Khan said that he lost four sons while his other son was not living with him, and the administration was unwilling to employ him in the Khasadar Force.
He also expressed concern over non-payment of compensation. He said the cheques given to the heirs of blast victims all had mistakes.“They summon us but do not pay compensation.”
Assistant Political Agent of Lower Mohmand Naveed Akbar told The Express Tribune that although the Governor has announced special jobs for the heirs of the blast victims, “we cannot accommodate them all in the Khasadar Force … They can apply for the Levies Force. If they pass the test, they will get employment,” he said.
According to him, the governor could approve a special dispensation for employment in the Khasadar Force for the heirs of the blast victims. “Safron has already banned new Khasadar posts and they should qualify for jobs in the Levies Force.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 15th, 2016.
1713904359-0/burn-(1)1713904359-0-270x192.webp)
1713853507-0/MalalaHilary-(2)1713853507-0-270x192.webp)
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ