Self-immolation case: IHC returns plea seeking compensation for victim

Raja Khan committed suicide outside Parliament House two weeks ago.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday returned a petition seeking compensation for the family of Raja Khan, who committed suicide outside Parliament House two weeks ago.

The IHC officials raised objections on the contents of the petition filed by Petitioner Manzoor Ahmed Bhatti, a resident of federal capital, seeking Rs2.5 million in compensation for the family of Raja Khan, who immolated himself near D-Chowk near parliament house on October 23.

Making the parliamentary affairs secretary, election commission chairman, cabinet division, and finance secretary respondents, the petitioner maintained that Khan, a 25-year-old from Noushero Feroze, Sindh, committed self-immolation due to unemployment and poverty.

He contended that the government had failed to provide basic necessities to the people, forcing them to commit suicide and in other cases sell their children as they have nothing to eat.

He maintained that the government is busy in creating new ministries to give benefits to their political allies but not providing any benefits to the common man.

The petitioner alleged that members of parliament have fake degrees, after they got bogus votes and getting high salaries with perk and privileges, but the poor people who have genuine degrees were forced to commit self-immolation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2011.