PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved financial assistance worth Rs126 million for 167 minority people and families affected by terrorism under the provincial Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Minorities.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the fund’s Assessment Committee, chaired by Provincial Minister for Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs, Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan Qadri.
According to officials, the committee reviewed 173 applications received from district scrutiny committees in Peshawar, Mardan, Buner and Lower Chitral.
After verification of records, legal scrutiny and assessment of eligibility, 167 cases were approved for financial assistance.
Officials told the meeting that the assistance package would benefit people injured in terrorist incidents, widows, orphaned children, unmarried daughters and persons with permanent disabilities. The initiative is aimed at helping affected families cope with financial hardship and rebuild their lives.
The committee was informed that all applications had been scrutinised by district-level committees before being re-verified by the department to ensure transparency, merit and compliance with the prescribed criteria.
During the meeting, the committee examined a case in which a woman applicant had qualified under two separate assistance categories. It decided that financial assistance would be provided under only one category to avoid duplication of benefits.
The committee reviewed seven cases involving permanent disability. While one applicant had submitted a disability certificate issued by the competent authority, six others had yet to provide the required documents. Their cases were approved in principle, subject to submission and verification of the prescribed disability certificates.
The meeting considered the recent terrorist attack at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Mardan, in which Jagan Nath and his wife were killed.
The committee approved Rs 4 million in financial assistance for the legal heirs of the deceased. It directed the district scrutiny committee to submit its report within one week to facilitate early disbursement of the compensation.
