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No secret ballots for naib nazim elections

PESHAWAR: The NWFP cabinet on Tuesday approved an amendment to the Local Government Ordinance, paving the way for elections of district, tehsil and town naib nazims by a show of hands instead of voting through secret ballots.

This decision was taken at a cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani. The meeting approved the amendment to the Local Government Ordinance Sections 42(4) and 69(4).

The cabinet also discussed relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction in the quake-hit districts of the province. It was decided that owners of damaged houses would be given Rs 175,000 in compensation.

The meeting also approved the disbursal of compensation to the families of Tableeghi Jumaat members from Karak, Kohat and Bannu, volunteers and others who were killed by aftershocks in five affected districts. The concerned district coordination officers (DCOs) were directed to submit details of such cases. The cabinet also directed the Bank of Khyber to be more flexible in clearing compensation cheques, saying that elected representatives, including union council nazims and members of the provincial assembly should verify such cases.

The cabinet approved contract-based appointments for running and managing tent villages in the affected areas. The cabinet observed that schools should not be used for relief activities and directed the district administrations of the affected areas to identify other suitable places for relief activities to allow relief agencies and non-government organisations to continue their work.

The cabinet was informed that the total number of reported deaths in the earthquake was 29,360, out of which 21,850 had been registered. Similarly, the reported number of injured was 37,372, out of which 14,581 were registered. The number of affected houses is reported to be 314,740.

A total of 25,151 tents, 77,189 blankets, 14,171 quilts, 17,894 mattresses, 1,339 cartons of medicines, 116 trucks of food items, 267 generators, 27 satellite phones and 6,380 miscellaneous items had so far been distributed among the victims of the earthquake. staff report

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