–Court orders Okara police to provide security to families
ISLAMABAD: Families of the labourers who were killed in a gun attack in Kharan on Thursday requested the Supreme Court (SC) for security, saying that they were being threatened by a local contractor.
On May 3, six labourers belonging to Okara were shot down while fixing a telecom tower in the Liji area in Balochistan’s Kharan district.
Two days after the incident, the chief justice had taken a suo motu notice and formed a two-member bench, comprising Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, to hear the case.
During the hearing on Thursday, the families of the victims claimed that they have not received any financial compensation from the authorities and added that those who claimed to pay compensation are “lying”.
Upon which, Justice Bandial assured them that they would be paid the compensation they are owed.
The counsel representing Ufone apprised the court that the widows of three labourers would receive Rs20,000 per month for the period of three years, while the company would pay for the educational expenses for their children as well.
The apex court on Wednesday ordered the cellular service provider, Ufone, to submit a complete financial plan for compensation to the families of the labourers who died in the attack.
It may be noted here that the Balochistan government had submitted details of its compensation package that promised Rs1 million for families of victims that died in the attack besides issuance of Rs500,000 to the family of the wounded labourer. While, the additional advocate general said that the Punjab government had prepared a summary and would pay Rs1 million to each family.
The court consequently ordered the provincial governments to submit the compensation money to Okara’s district judge who would distribute it among the victims’ families. It also directed Okara police to provide security to the families.
The hearing of the case was adjourned until the first week of June.
