Joseph Colony: LHC seeks report on fire affects

LAHORE:

Justice Shams Mirza of Lahore High Court on Thursday sought a report verifying the list of people affected by Joseph Colony arson attack of March 2013.

A deputy attorney general told the court the DCO had been assigned the duty to provide compensation to 266 fire victims of arson.

The judge directed the DAG to submit a report in this regard by February 13.

Zaman Masih and dozens of other people had filed petitions submitting that 30 out of 190 affected families were yet to be paid compensation announced by the then president. He said the government had announced Rs500,000 for each family. He said the government had delayed payment. The petitioners requested the court to direct the federal government to pay the compensation. Earlier, a counsel for the state said the Finance Ministry had not released the money. He said compensation would be distributed as soon the funds were released.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 31^st, 2015.