Air strikes: AGP, K-P AG to help court in diyat case

Will help determine if compensation is paid to civilians killed in military action.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court issued notices to the attorney general of Pakistan and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) advocate general to assist it in the case of a family demanding diyat for six of its members who were killed in an air raid.

Muhammad Ilyas, counsel for petitioner Khan Asghar, told the court fighter jets pounded Zargari village of Hangu district on June 11, 2009 as part of an operation against militants. Six members of the same family perished in the bombing and the same number were injured. Asghar is related to the victims.



The petitioners named the federation of Pakistan, K-P’s secretary finance, inspector general of police and the K-P Home and Tribal Affairs department as respondents. Ilyas said the deceased were Habib Nazar, Halima Bibi, Asya Bibi, Abdul Majeed, Muhammad Bilal and Abdullah. Six people also suffered injuries, including Said Junaid, Hamida Bibi, Saima, Asma, Muhammad Yasir and Badshah Bibi.

More than compensation

The court was informed that the government provided Rs0.3 million as compensation, but later increased the amount to Rs0.5 million. The victims had nothing to do with militancy, officials had ascertained.

A report was produced by the district administration of Hangu which confirmed the incident. It added the whole house of the family was destroyed and Rs120,000 and 21 tolas of gold also went missing.

The court was requested by Ilyas that the heirs of those killed be compensated with diyat as they were innocent.

The bench of Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel and Justice Lal Jan Khattak issued notices to the K-P advocate general and AGP to help determine whether families of innocent people killed in military action be paid normal compensation or diyat.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 12^th, 2015.