The Ufone, a cellular company, on Wednesday assured the Supreme Court that it will provide Rs 1 million as compensation to the family of each of the six labourers gunned down by terrorists in Kharan district of Balochistan on May 3 while installing the company’s tower.
A lawyer for the cellular company apprised the court that the widows of three of the victims will be provided a monthly assistance of Rs20,000. He said the company will also bear the educational expenses of children of all the deceased labourers.With regards to a labourer severely injured in the gun fire, the lawyer stated that he had been admitted to a hospital in Lahore for treatment.
After hearing the lawyer, a two-member bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan directed Ufone to prepare and submit by Thursday a complete financial plan for compensation to the legal heirs of the deceased and the injured labourer.The court also directed the additional advocate generals of Punjab and Balochistan to check the measures the governments of their respective provinces were taking for compensation to the families of the deceased and injured labourers and submit reports by Thursday.
As many as six labourers belonging to Okara district of Punjab were gunned down by unidentified motorcyclists on May 3. Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the incident on May 5.
Published in Daily Times, May 17th 2018.
