PHC orders govt to award full compensation package to APS martyrs families

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed both the federal and provincial governments to award a handsome compensation package to the families of the Army Public School (APS) martyrs equal to the one given to the family of martyred principal and other staff members of the school.

“It has been proved that discrimination has been done by the provincial government, thus, in this scenario petition in hand is allowed.

The respondents are directed to treat the petitioners in instant petition alike with others by awarding them a handsome full package as early as possible,” a division bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarrat Hilali ruled in the four pages detailed judgment in the case.

The petition was filed by Ajun Khan Advocate and Muhammad Tahir Khan, parents of the martyred students through their lawyer Muhammad Ayaz Khan.

“Keeping blind/fold eyes and deaf ears towards the little flowers of martyred in APS carnage is highly deplorable. It is further noted that as per available record handsome package was given to the family of martyred principal Tahira Qazi and other staff members of the APS as per minutes of the meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Defence on December 12, 2015 attended by notified dignitaries,” the judgment said.

Advocate Muhammad Ayaz Khan appeared for the petitioners and Arbab Saiful Kamal, deputy attorney general along with Amin Khan, section officer of Finance Division represented the federal government in the case.

The petitioners prayed before the bench that on acceptance of the writ petition, the court directs the respondents to announce special Shuhada Package to the petitioners and affected families of the APS martyrs equal to the package announced for the lawyer community at Quetta by the Balochistan government or all the affectees of APS to be treated equally in compensation.

The petitioners prayed the court to issue a direction to the federal government to announce separate special Shuhada Package for the petitioners and APS martyred families for compensation.

In the judgment, the court stated that grievances of the petitioners are that after the brutal incident took place on December 16, 2014, a compensation package of Rs2 million along with Umrah trip, was given to each affected family which is just like cumin seeds in the camel mouth.

“The affectees are looking forward to some handsome package from the government machinery as well as armed forces, but, to date, no attractive fiscal packages were announced and given to the affectees of different brutal incidents took place in Balochistan with lawyer community in Quetta,” the bench stated.

The bench stated that in the comments, the Accountant General office in Peshawar mentioned that the matter in hand is totally administrative in nature and relates to the provincial government.

Similarly, it said, the Establishment Division said in the comments that the Shuhada Package notified by the KP government and the same does not pertains to the division.

“It is observed with great concern that Shuhada Package time and again was given to the affectees on different occasions in other provinces, including KP, not only by the provincial government but also by the armed forces,” the bench stated.

It said the compensation given to the affected families included assistance package provided by army umrah package, free education to one brother/sister of Shaheed student, free education in APS for Shaheed Teacher/staff, admission in Cadet Colleges for injured students and visit to friendly countries (students/teachers).