Traders affected by market infernos to be paid compensation, says Sindh minister

KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has assured that work on providing compensation to the affectees of Cooperative Market and Victoria Building, Saddar Karachi was under way and all their losses will be compensated, as soon as possible.

Speaking at a meeting of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Nasir Hussain Shah said that the Sindh government was working on compensations to the affectees of both the markets under the specific instructions of Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah.

“Regardless of whether it was an accident or an act of terror, it is the responsibility of the government to compensate such losses, and we will do so,” he added, while admitting that the process has already been delayed.

However, Chairman BMG Zubair Motiwala, while highlighting the exemplary role played by the KCCI towards the rehabilitation of all the affectees of Bolton Market incident in 2009, stated that the Cooperative Market and Victoria Market have also suffered badly because of the inferno. Hence, he appealed the Sindh Government to immediately announce relief in shape of compensation to the affectees of Cooperative Market incident so that they could completely restore their businesses before the arrival of Ramadan ul Mubarak and Eid-ul-Fitr.

He particularly appreciated the support and cooperation extended by Provincial Ministers Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Jam Ikramullah Khan Dharejo, Saeed Ghani, Administrator KMC Murtaza Wahab and Waqar Mehdi, who he said have always remained in constant touch with the KCCI and assured to get this issue resolved.

Keeping in view KCCI’s role in dealing with such incidents, General Secretary BMG AQ Khalil offered KCCI’s platform for evaluating the precise losses suffered by the shopkeepers of Cooperative Market.

President KCCI Muhammad Idrees, in his remarks, said that the Karachi Chamber was in constant touch with the Sindh Government and was trying its best to ensure release of compensation to all the affectees of Cooperative Market so that the lives of these shopkeepers and their workers could quickly return to normalcy.

Chairman Cooperative Market Association Muhammad Firoz highlighted the hardships being faced by 500 shopkeepers of the market who lost everything and were looking forward to the Sindh government for providing financial assistance since November 2021.

“It is already too late and keeping in view the forthcoming shopping season of Ramadan and Eid-ul Fitr, the Sindh Government may please expedite the process and ensure compensation to affectees as early as possible.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022