Grieving families await death compensation

Although no amount of money can truly compensate for the loss of a loved one, the policy of death compensation seeks to alleviate the immediate financial strain on a grieving family in the aftermath of the accidental demise of an earning hand.

In Sindh, the official compensation for the accidental death of a common citizen is Rs100,000, while the fixed amount for the accidental death of elected members of the assembly is Rs5 million. Unfortunately, this raging disparity exists not only in the amount of compensation but also in the payment of this amount. In case of accidental death of a common man, even this modest compensation is not easily available to the relatives, who are unable to fulfil the myriad of formalities.

Zulfiqar Ali, the father of Adeel Ahmed, a young man from Gulshan-e-Hadeed, who died in a road accident on the National Highway a few years ago, recalled that one of his friends had advised him after the death of his son to obtain the death compensation. However, the convoluted process of completing all the paperwork discouraged him from seeking the due amount. "My son's burial was carried out in a village in Larkana. For this, I had taken a 12-day leave from duty. The death compensation process required me to take additional leaves, which was not possible," said Ali.

Similarly, Ali Murad Shah, a local from Hyderabad, told The Express Tribune that a few years ago, the son of one of his relatives died in a road accident. "The boy's father took more than a month to complete all the necessary documents after continuous efforts. After that, it took him another month to receive the compensatory amount," revealed Shah.

According to the Sindh Insurance Rules and Regulations, accidental deaths refer to sudden demise occurring due to traffic accidents, building collapse, shooting, terrorism, drowning, electrocution, storms and floods. In order to get compensation in case of any accidental death, the affected relatives have to fill the relevant claim form and attach an affidavit which includes an indemnity form, medical certificate of the deceased, a copy of the FIR registered in the relevant police station in relation to the accidental death and an heirship certificate issued by the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA).

First of all, it is not easy for the common people to complete all these steps in government offices, especially when it comes to obtaining an accidental death certificate from the relevant government hospital since not all hospitals are authorized to issue medico-legal certificates. Furthermore, after obtaining the medico-legal certificate from the concerned government hospital, the relatives have to obtain a death certificate from the concerned Union Council affiliated with NADRA. After this, the third step is to register an FIR of the accident. Usually, it is not an easy task for a common citizen to register an FIR in our police station's which is why it takes some time to register an FIR. After registering an FIR, the affected family has to obtain an heirship certificate from NADRA. Even after obtaining the heirship certificate from NADRA, the process for the affected family is not over since they have to open an account in Sindh Bank in the name of the person who is issued the inheritance certificate.

According to Ali Sahag, a police officer dealing with accidental death cases, the compensation claimed in accidental deaths is paid only through the Sindh Bank account.

"All the legal proceedings are completed in about 20 days after receiving the documents. Since 2016, compensation has been paid to thousands of families," said a Sindh Bank official, while speaking on the condition of anonymity to The Express Tribune.