Quetta Church blast: SC directs government to pay compensation to aggrieved families

The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the federal government to pay the amount which it had committed for the compensation of the families of those who had been killed and got injured in Quetta church blast. A two-member bench comprising Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan heard a suo motu case, which Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar had taken on May 5 on the application of Chairman Implementation of Minorities Rights (IMR), Samuel Payra.
At least nine members of the Christian community were killed and 57 others got wounded when two suicide bombers struck a church in Quetta on December 11, 2017, where worshippers were attending service ahead of Christmas.
During the course of hearing Christian leader Samuel Payra informed that the federal government had announced Rs 1 million each for the deceased, Rs0.5 million for the serious injured persons and Rs0.3 million for normal injured person. He said that the federal government still has to provide Rs7.2 million for the church blast victims.
He said that besides the federal government, the Balochistan provincial government also promised to provide funds for the families of people killed and persons who got injured in a terrorist attack on a Church Quetta on 17.12.2017. He further informed that the provincial government had also promised to provide funds for the maintenance of Church, announced by the federal government for the Church, adding the funds are still not released.
Justice Ijaz inquired from deputy commissioner Quetta, why it took so long for the payment of compensation to the heirs of killed persons. The DC replied that they received medico-legal report (MLR) about the victims very late. Justice Ijaz then questioned why the MLR was prepared so late.
The court directed the DC to submit reasons for filing the MLP late and the affidavits regarding the payment of the compensation to the aggrieved families. The federal government was ordered to provide balance amount for compensation. The case was adjourned until first week of June.