The relatives of the Airblue crash victims on Thursday demanded the government make the investigation report of the incident public and award an exemplary punishment to those responsible for the tragic death of around 150 innocent people on board.
Moving scenes were witnessed on the first anniversary of the Airblue plane crash victims near the crash site where women and children were wailing for their dear ones. Hundreds of male and female relatives of the plane crash victims attended the anniversary and offered fateha for their deported souls. They demanded the government make the investigation report public as soon as possible.
They also demanded payment of compensation to the victims’ heirs. On this occasion, most of the relatives planted saplings in the memory of their beloved ones. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the owner of Airblue Company, while talking to media people, said it was the government’s responsibility to make the inquiry report public. Airblue and Capital Development Authority (CDA) have built a memorial at the crash site in the memory of the victims.
The Airblue plane crashed at the Margalla Hills on July 28, 2010, in which 152 passengers, including six members of the Youth Parliament, lost their lives. The crash site remained visible for a few months from the Margalla Hills mainly because of its burnt surroundings. At that time it was a routine of tourists and Margalla Hills visitors to stop at the points from where the crash site was visible and watch the remains of the plane with their binoculars.
Now after one year, the crash site is no more visible for the visitors but the memories of the tragic episode are still fresh in the minds of the people. Iqbal Sheewani, the father of Feroz Sheewani who perished in the tragedy, held the Airblue Company authorities responsible for the incident as, according to him, they had recruited overage pilots against low salaries.
He said: “After the death of our son we are destroyed completely and there is nothing worth for us in this world.” He complained that the government had failed to compensate the heirs of the victims even after the lapse of one year. Pakistan Youth Wing coordinator Aajiz Thamran said he had lost four members of his family in the tragic crash. He demanded the government make the inquiry report public so that people could come to know about the negligence of the company’s administration.
He also complained that the authorities had failed to compensate the heirs of the victims. Thamran revealed he had set up a private school in the memory his dear ones, where free education was being imparted to the poor people of the country. Abdul Quddus urged the government to make the inquiry report public and give an exemplary punishment to those responsible for the tragic incident.
Airblue crash victims’ heirs still await compensation
