Seeking closure: Victims’ families await justice, compensation
Remind the premier of his promise to provide compensation in 30 days.
ISLAMABAD:
Families of Bhoja Air crash victims reminded Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani the promise he made the day after the crash – that the families will be compensated within a month.
“The prime minister promised that the airline will pay interim compensation of Rs5 million in 30 days; unfortunately neither any government official nor the airline’s representatives have approached us even for condolence,” said Sardar Kinaf, who lost three family members in the crash, at a press conference here on Saturday.
Families of the crash victims also demanded that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) disclose the cause of the accident, since the black box of the plane has been decoded.
Shortly after the crash, officials concerned blamed bad weather; but a team of the CAA’s investigation board, headed by Mujahid Islam, is currently investigating it.
Islam was also a member of the investigation team, which prepared an investigation report of the Airblue crash. The report, however, was rejected by the Peshawar High Court.
Solidarity
Families of AirBlue crash victims were also present at the press conference, to express solidarity with Bhoja crash victims’ families.
Col (retd) Shamim Sheikh from the AirBlue Crash Affectees Group (ACAG) said that the Bhoja Air crash could have been avoided if orders of the Peshawar High Court in the AirBlue case were implemented in letter and spirit.
“We realise what will happen to Bhoja Air crash victims’ families; therefore, we will always be standing with them,” Sheikh said.
He demanded the enforcement of the Montreal Convention in Pakistan, signed in 1999, for ensuring fair compensation to families of air crash victims.
“The government should announce appropriate compensation for the Bhoja Air crash victims’ families, as was done in the case of AirBlue” said Coordinator ACAG Zulfiqar.
Authorities should nominate judicial officials in Karachi and Islamabad to expedite the issuing of succession certificates to victims’ families, he said, adding that Bhoja Air should be compelled to pay the first tier compensation of Rs5 million to all families immediately.
He also demanded that both AirBlue and Bhoja Air should be grounded till the finalisation of investigation reports of the two crashes.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2012.
Families of Bhoja Air crash victims reminded Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani the promise he made the day after the crash – that the families will be compensated within a month.
“The prime minister promised that the airline will pay interim compensation of Rs5 million in 30 days; unfortunately neither any government official nor the airline’s representatives have approached us even for condolence,” said Sardar Kinaf, who lost three family members in the crash, at a press conference here on Saturday.
Families of the crash victims also demanded that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) disclose the cause of the accident, since the black box of the plane has been decoded.
Shortly after the crash, officials concerned blamed bad weather; but a team of the CAA’s investigation board, headed by Mujahid Islam, is currently investigating it.
Islam was also a member of the investigation team, which prepared an investigation report of the Airblue crash. The report, however, was rejected by the Peshawar High Court.
Solidarity
Families of AirBlue crash victims were also present at the press conference, to express solidarity with Bhoja crash victims’ families.
Col (retd) Shamim Sheikh from the AirBlue Crash Affectees Group (ACAG) said that the Bhoja Air crash could have been avoided if orders of the Peshawar High Court in the AirBlue case were implemented in letter and spirit.
“We realise what will happen to Bhoja Air crash victims’ families; therefore, we will always be standing with them,” Sheikh said.
He demanded the enforcement of the Montreal Convention in Pakistan, signed in 1999, for ensuring fair compensation to families of air crash victims.
“The government should announce appropriate compensation for the Bhoja Air crash victims’ families, as was done in the case of AirBlue” said Coordinator ACAG Zulfiqar.
Authorities should nominate judicial officials in Karachi and Islamabad to expedite the issuing of succession certificates to victims’ families, he said, adding that Bhoja Air should be compelled to pay the first tier compensation of Rs5 million to all families immediately.
He also demanded that both AirBlue and Bhoja Air should be grounded till the finalisation of investigation reports of the two crashes.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2012.