SC orders inquiry into delayed compensation of Quetta church bombing victims
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ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court ordered on Friday inquiry into the delay over disbursement of compensation to the affectees of the Quetta church attack.
During a suo-motu hearing at the apex court on Friday, the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar ordered the provincial chief secretary to inquire into the issue and submit a detailed report in a month.
“The inquiry will decide who should be held responsible for the delay in payment,” remarked the top judge.
On December 17, 2017, nine people were killed and over 50 others were injured after two suicide bombers stormed Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, following which the centre and provincial government announced compensation for the affectees.
On May 12, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar had ordered Balochistan government to ensure disbursement of compensation to the affectees of the Quetta church attack within one month. However, the amount has yet to be released to the affectees.
Moreover, the legal counsel of the Balochistan government also informed the court that the compensation amount has been handed over to additional sessions judge.
Responding to this, Chief Justice Nisar remarked: “The court had also ordered [the government] to submit penalty for delaying the payment with the actual payment.”
Attorney General said that the amount handed over is the one which was requested from the finance ministry. "Additional amount will be released in three working days," he added.
Government’s lawyer shared with the court that 55 injured have been paid while nine are yet to be paid.
“Compensation money will also be given to families of the injured people who have passed away now,” he added.
Chief Justice Nisar further observed the provincial government did not hold a single meeting over the matter even though months had passed.
The additional deputy commissioner said that the government had held four meeting over the issue. To which, the CJP remarked that those meetings were held after it came into the notice of Supreme Court.
Six labourers killed in Kharan
While hearing the suo motu notice on the six labourers killed in Kharan, the top judge inquired whethere the compensation amount has been released to the families of the deceased.
While appearing before the court, a representative of a mobile phone company shared that their company has released the entire amount, adding that the amount was handed over to the district and sessions judge.
District and Sessions judge told the court that amount worth Rs6.5 million has been handed over to authority, adding that compensation amount has been given to majority of the families.
He shared that they were facing difficulties released amount to families of two labourers.
“Among the labourers who were killed, there was an orphaned labourer who was also a bachelor.”
The top judge questioned if the sessions judge made attempt to contact any of his family members. Responding to which, the sessions judge shared: “We have contacted three of his siblings; two brothers and a sister.”
The CJP ordered the judge to distribute the amount between all the siblings of the deceased labourer.
The sessions judge also shared that the widow of one labourer does not have a computerised national identity card (CNIC). "She cannot be handed over the amount," he added.
The court then ordered National Database and Registration Authority to make the widow’s CNIC, so the amount could be transferred to her.
The case was then adjourned until after Eid-ul-Fitr.
APP
