KARACHI: Centre told to pay damages for death in accident
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Dec 18: The Sindh High Court asked the federal government on Thursday to pay Rs673,600 in damages to the parents of a taxi driver killed by a rashly-driven defence ministry truck here in July 1993.
A suit was instituted by 67-year-old Fazlur Rehman and Ms Hasan Jahan, 59, for the recovery of damages amounting to Rs1,250,000.
They said their son, Khalid Zafar, 30, was driving his taxi without any passenger from Sharea Faisal to airport on July 3, 1993. At 1:30 pm, a defence ministry truck, negligently and rashly driven by sepoy Ameen Abdullah, took an abrupt turn without indication or warning and hit his yellow cab near Star Gate. It dragged the taxi for about 10 feet and Khalid died of injuries inflicted by the truck.
The plaintiffs lodged a complaint with the airport police and moved a plaint in the high court for damages. They said they had no source of income and were entirely dependent on their only son. Zafar earned about Rs 300 to 400 daily from driving and coaching. He held a master’s degree in international relations and taught students privately. Plaintiff Rehman, meanwhile, died during the proceedings, leaving behind his wife and mother of the deceased as the sole claimant.
Decreeing the suit to the extent of Rs 673,600, Justice Maqbool Baqar directed the defendant federal government on Thursday to pay the amount along with mark-up at the rate of 14 per cent within two months.
