MIRAMSHAH: Shopkeepers and owners of markets in Miramshah, North Waziristan tribal district, on Wednesday rejected the compensation package announced by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for their damaged properties.

The affected people staged a protest demonstration in front of the press club and blocked the MiramshahBannu Road. The protesters demanded Rs300,000 compensation for a damaged shop and Rs1.5 million for land loss per marla.

The provincial government formally started payment of compensation to the affected shopkeepers and market owners in Peshawar on Monday. Chief Minister Mahmood Khan gave cheques of Rs500 million to 25 affected shopkeepers.

The government would distribute Rs7.6 billion cash among affected people.

The government had announced compensation package for shopkeepers of Mirali and Miramshah whose shops were damaged during operation Zarb-i-Azb in June 2014.

The affected people, however, rejected the compensation package and alleged that the government had deviated from its commitment. Addressing the protesters, president executive committee Miramshah Dr Imran said the chief minister had distributed cheques among `bogus` people during a ceremony in Peshawar.

He said the government had constituted the executive committee to assess damages and workout a formula for payment of compensation, but it had ignored the recommendations of the committee.-Correspondent