Two funds created for victims’ families, SC told

Lawyers’ deaths in Quetta blast

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) was informed on Monday that two endowment funds have been created for treatment and welfare of heirs of injured and martyred lawyers.

A three-member bench, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa, heard the case of Quetta blast, wherein some 70 persons, mostly lawyers, died and over 80 people injured on Aug 8 last year.

Advocate General Balochistan Amanullah Kanrani informed the court that for the treatment of injured lawyers, Rs250 million have been earmarked and the notification has been issued. Similarly, he said an endowment fund of Rs250 million has been established for the welfare of martyred lawyers.

Former chief justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali had taken the suo moto under Article 184(3) of the Constitution on a note of Registrar, which contained the details of the Quetta bomb blast. The AG submitted that Abdul Malik Kasi had donated land for the plots of martyred lawyers’ families. He said after the transfer of land to Balochistan Bar Association, the provincial government would develop the plots.

He said the issue of jobs for the family members of the martyred lawyers could not be resolved as the public jobs are filled after legal process and these jobs could not be given without merit.

Appearing before the court on behalf of families of the victims of Quetta blast, Hamid Khan submitted that a committee of Balochistan judges had been constituted. The counsel said six issues were involved i.e. endowment funds for the children of the martyred and injured lawyers, procurement of plot for the lawyers’ families and the commission report on Quetta blast.

Hamid stated that the treatment of injured lawyers was carried out satisfactorily as some progress had been made. He said the draft trust deed would be adopted for the two endowment funds. He said the trust deed would be submitted to the Balochistan government for regularisation and enforceable in future. Later, the court adjourned the hearing till Nov 27.