PK-8303 crash: Rs10m insurance to be paid to each passenger’s family

KARACHI: The national flag-carrier Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has increased the amount of compensation to the heirs of the victims of PK-8303 to Rs 10 million per passenger. As many as 97 people on board the aircraft had perished in the crash at Karachi on May 22, 2020.

Previously, the maximum allowed limit of compensation under the Air Act of 2012 to the families of the crash victims was Rs five million. PIA managed to convince the insurance company to enhance the amount to Rs10 million per passenger instead of Rs5 million. The letters in that regard are being dispatched to all the heirs on record, he added.

The increase in compensation is the result of personal efforts of CEO PIA Air Marshal Arshad Malik who persuaded the insurers that Rs5 million was far less amount for the victims of the tragedy.

According to the PIA spokesman, “the amount will be in addition to already paid Rs 1.0 million towards funeral expenses.” PIA has also paid Rs1.0 million to the young maid who died after being hit by the falling debris on the ground. In addition to that, Rs500,000 has also been paid to the two injured on ground. He said that PIA has completed the spadework for early payment of compensation and is awaiting certificates of guardianship or succession certificates of the legal heirs of the victims for its distribution.