Airblue crash: PHC shuts compensation case

Court says case cannot be heard in Islamabad and Peshawar together.

The Peshawar High Court has closed proceedings for the Airblue compensation case, which sought monetary aid for families of victims who died in the air crash on July 28, 2010. 

On January 17, the PHC observed that hearings on similar issues cannot take place in two different courts at different locations. Counsel for petitioner Umar Adam was told to consult his client and withdraw their petition either from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) or the PHC.

During the hearing on Tuesday, Airblue’s legal advisor Abdul Latif Yousafzai told a PHC division bench headed by CJ Khan and Justice Seth that the petitioners have not decided on a court for further proceedings.

Terming this as unjustified, the bench gave Adam 10 minutes to consult his clients and select one court where they would like to proceed with their case. Adam refused to do so, arguing that both petitions were different in nature.

Families of 134 people had been compensated on the PHC’s order, but CJ Khan observed that the remaining legal heirs of the Airblue crash victims could not be given compensation because they had filed an independent lawsuit at the IHC seeking a higher amount. The bench ordered to close the proceedings at the PHC.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2013.