PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood on Wednesday increased the amount of compensation from Rs 2 million to Rs 3 million for the heirs those martyred in the suicide bombing at the mosque in Koocha Risaldar.

He made this announcement while talking to a delegation of Imamia Jirga led by Brigadier (Retd) Sartaj Qazalbash, General Secretary of Imamia Jirga Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, that called on him here at Chief Minister’s House Peshawar, said a handout.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash, Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Mehsud and other relevant officials were present.

As many as 68 people had lost lives and almost 200 others were injured when a mosque belonging to the Shia community in Koocha Risalar, Qissa Khwani, was targeted with firing and suicide bombing during the Friday prayers on March 4.

The KP cabinet in a meeting on Tuesday had approved the compensation of Rs 2 million for the family of each martyr, Rs 0.5 million for every seriously injured and Rs 0.2 million each for those sustaining minor injuries.

Imamia Jirga General Secretary Brigadier (Ret) Sartaj Qazalbash said that there were elements playing into the hands of the enemy. He said the enemy was trying to destroy the peace of our country, our unity, harmony and Islamic brotherhood but we would never let them succeed in their designs.

In the meeting, the Imami Jirga delegation members requested the chief minister to increase the compensation amount and the chief minister entertained the request. Later, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Information, Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, while addressing a press conference with the leaders of Imamia Jirga, said the attack on the Koocha Risaldar mosque was an attack on all the citizens of the country.

He said the KP government was taking steps for the renovation and rehabilitation of the mosque affected in the blast. “The miscreants want to harm the integrity of the country”, he said and added that we would defeat them through unity and brotherhood.

Barrister Saif said the chief minister had directed the quarters concerned to extend all possible support to the heirs of martyrs and provide the best treatment facilities to the injured. He said in the meeting with the Imamia Jirga, it was also decided that the families of government employees who were martyred in the Koocha Risaldar blast would continue to stay at government residences and their children would be provided with every possible support to get the job opportunities according to their qualifications.