QUETTA: One hundred and eighteen vehicle owners in Chaghi who provided transportation services during the repatriation of Afghan refugees are still awaiting their compensation a year later.
According to the owners, millions of rupees per vehicle remain owed by the district administration, forcing them into severe financial distress.
Speaking to the media, owners such as Attaullah Gomshadzai, Waseem Nootezai, Wakeel Ahmed, and Abdul Zahir explained that during the evacuation from the refugee camps of Girdi Jungle, Chagai, and Posti, they transported refugees to the Afghan border.
They covered all fuel, driver, and operational expenses out of their own pockets, with many taking on loans to do so. Despite a year passing, they have received no payments.
The vehicle owners stated that they are exhausted from making repeated visits to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where authorities consistently claim that funds have not yet been released from higher levels.
Questioning why they were enlisted if funds were unavailable, they noted that they are now heavily indebted to fuel suppliers and drivers.
They appealed to the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary of Balochistan to immediately release the pending dues to the district administration, warning that they will be forced to launch protests if their payments are further delayed.
