Families of labourer killed in Kharan: Compensation amounts be deposited with Okara judge, orders SC

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the provincial governments of Balochistan and Punjab to deposit the amounts of compensations for the families of six laborers killed by the terrorists in Kharan district of Balochistan on May 3, 2018, with the district and sessions judge Okara.
A two-member bench comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan also directed the district and session judge Okara to distribute the amount of compensation, just after its receipt, among the families of the deceased laborers.
The court ordered the Okara police to provide protection to the families of deceased laborers, which were facing threats by a local landlord of Okara.
During the hearing, family members of the deceased laborers stated that they buried their loved ones peacefully despite they were killed in acts of terrorism.
They also stated that they were being threatened. On court's insistence, they stated that they were being threatened by a local landlord of Okara.
They requested the court to order provision of protection to them. They contended that they were still not paid any sort of compensation by any quarter and the statements being given by some quarters before the court about the payments of compensation were false.
"We will ensure the payments of compensation by our own," Justice Umar Ata Bandial assured the affected families.
A lawyer for Ufone cellular company apprised the court that families of the each deceased laborer will be provided Rs 1 million as compensation. He stated that each family of all the deceased laborers will also be provided Rs 20,000 per month for three years as regular monthly financial assistance.
Additional advocate general of Punjab apprised the court that the provincial government will pay Rs01 million to each family of the deceased labourers.
A representative of the Balochistan government also submitted a compensation plan in the court stating that it will give Rs01 million to each family of the deceased labourers and Rs0.5 million to the families of the injured person.
The court then directed the Balochistan and Punjab governments to deposit the amount of compensations with the District and Sessions Judge Okara, who will distribute the amount to the victims' families. Meanwhile, the court adjourned the hearing till first week of June.
As many as six laborers belonging to Okara district of Punjab province were gunned down by the unidentified motorcyclists, besides severely injuring another one on May 3, when they were installing Ufone company's cell phone tower. The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of the incident on May 5.