Sindh govt disputes compensation figure for Baldia fire victims

SHC directs the petitioners to file their comments on the govt's report

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the petitioners to file their comments on a report submitted by the Sindh government on the plea challenging the non-payment of compensation to the affected families of Baldia factory fire incident.

Appearing before a two-member bench comprising Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar and Justice Agha Faisal, Secretary Labour Welfare, Rasheed Solangi, on Thursday submitted a written statement on behalf of the Sindh government which disputed media reports about pledges of payment of Rs560 millions as compensation to the affected families.

Advocate Usman Farooq appearing for petitioners argued that the provincial Minister Nasir Shah had made an announcement on May 1, 2018 regarding the further payment of compensation of Rs560 millions and declared that the amount would be paid to the affected families in lump sum. A German company Textilene, which was a client of the ill-fated Baldia factory, had already paid an amount of more than Rs600 million to the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) in 2015 for disbursement among the affected families.

The hearing was adjourned till February 28 when the petitioners will submit their comments to the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2019.