Ismail asks PIA to quicken process of paying compensation to families of crash victims

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has asked the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to quicken the process of paying compensation to families of the victims of the air crash in Karachi last year.

“The inordinate delay in payment of compensation to the unfortunate heirs of the victims of the air crash is indeed a matter of great concern, as some of them may be in dire need of monetary support upon the loss of their breadwinners,” said the governor as he presiding over a follow-up meeting with family members of the victims of the plane crash at the Governor’s House on Saturday.

The meeting was attended amongst others by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) director general, PIA chief executive officer (CEO), law ministry consultant, Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) head, National Disaster Management Authority director and others.

Ismail urged the PIA CEO to meet their legal and contractual obligations to compensate those affected without further delay. “The payment of compensation should be ensured in accordance with the law of land and international standards”, he added.

The families were informed that relevant authorities had been asked to submit replies in view of the concerns and reservations raised by them in the last meeting.

The AAIB representative told the meeting that a transparent and impartial mechanism had been adopted to conduct an inquiry into the matter. “The investigations need some more time to be concluded”, he said.

The meeting discussed in detail the issue of signing of the release deed agreement (RDA) and it was decided that the CAA would write a letter to the law ministry in reference to relevant section(s) of the Carriage by Air Act 2012, for legal opinion or interpretation. The families expressed their satisfaction over the decision.

The governor directed the CAA to initiate the process as early as possible. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was well aware of the miseries of the heirs of the passengers killed in the PIA plane crash and the federal government was trying its best to resolve the issues of the heirs.