Court informed that work completed to include Anti-Terrorism Act clause in the case. PHOTO: AFP
Holding a demonstration from Regal Chowk to Karachi Press Club on Tuesday, the protesters said that the agreement regarding the payment of $5.15million compensation did not have any clause about installments. The agreement was reached between the representatives of the victims, IndustriALL Global Union and the German company with the mediation of International Labour Organisation in Geneva in September this year.
This is the second time that KiK will pay the victims an amount to compensate for their loss. Earlier, it paid $1million as immediate relief in 2013. The company has been accused for its alleged negligence in ensuring labour rights that led to the disaster. More than 250 people were killed in the fire at Ali Enterprises garments factory located in Baldia Town on September 11, 2012. The main case is pending in an anti-terrorism court after the recent police investigations termed it an act of arson over non-payment of extortion.
Saeeda Khatoon, senior vice-president of the victims' association, said that paying the amount in installments was tantamount to making them suffer more. She believes that victims' families will face difficulties in receiving the installments every month. A participant at the demonstration, Zahid, who himself got injured in the fire along with his brother and sister, said that despite making them crippled for life, the people 'responsible' for this are still bent upon hurting them more. The demonstrators demanded that their concerns should be addressed and also called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to fulfill his promise of giving them Rs300,000 each in aid, that he made during his visit to the burnt factory site in 2012.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2016.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ