Air attack: Injured PIA steward discharged from CMH

Brother says they were promised financial compensation, but haven’t received any.

PESHAWAR:

A crew member of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), who sustained bullet wounds when a passenger plane was fired upon in Peshawar on June 24, was discharged from Combined Military Hospital (CMH) with his hand still not functioning properly.

PIA Steward Ijaz Afridi was among the two people who were injured when gunmen fired at a plane just as it was about to land at Bacha Khan International Airport. A woman was also killed on June 25.

Afridi was then rushed to CMH Peshawar from where he was discharged after spending 36 days at different intervals and undergoing five surgeries. His hand, however, has still not recovered properly.

“We have been asked to leave for home and the doctors are hopeful that my brother will be able to lead a normal life, but they were not sure if he will be able to perform his duties,” said Ijaz’s elder brother Ayaz Afridi. He added Ijaz has been advised bed rest for one year by the doctors.

Ayaz complained the provincial government had announced financial compensation for the injured steward, but did not pay the amount. “We were told that the provincial government will extend all-out support, but nothing has been done so far.”

He said the PIA management has been paying for all medical expenditures, but has not announced any compensation for his brother.

Minister for Information Mushtaq Ghani could not be contacted for his version despite repeated attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2014.