News
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Army announces Rs 20m relief package for Tirah Valley victims
* Rs 200,000 each will be given to heirs of deceased, Rs 100,000 for those injured
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Army has announced a relief package of around Rs 20 million for the victims of the Khyber Agency where 61 civilian deaths were reported following air strikes over a Kokikhel jirga at Serawala area in remote Tirah valley on April 10.
On behalf of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, a high level delegation of the army led by Brigadier Basit Raza and Brigadier Arshad visited the ICRC Field Hospital in University Town and handed over the compensation cheques to each injured person.
The COAS had already tendered an apology to the Kokikhel tribe over the civilian deaths.
An official of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that Rs 200,000 would be given to the heirs of each deceased and Rs. 100,000 to each person injured in the incident.
Khyber Agency Political Agent Shareefullah Khan said that a Rs.10.5million compensation package had already been announced for the victims.
He said that 61 people had been killed and 21 were injured in the accident.
Noor Muhammad, son of Yar Muhammad and a resident of Surawala, who was injured in the air strike, thanked Kayani for providing assistance to him.
Another victim Musa Khan also thanked the government especially the COAS for compensating the families of the victims and assured his full support to work shoulder to shoulder with the government for peace in FATA. app
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk