Families of the labourers who were killed in a gun attack in Kharan urged the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday to provide them security as they are receiving threats from a local contractor.

On May 3, six labourers belonging to Okara were gunned down while fixing a Ufone tower in the Liji area, in Balochistan's Kharan district. One labourer was injured in the attack which was orchestrated by unidentified motorcyclists.

Two days after the incident occurred, the chief justice took a suo motu notice. The case is being heard by a two-member SC bench comprising Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan.

During today's hearing, the families of the victims also claimed that they had not received any financial compensation from the authorities adding that those who claimed to pay compensation were "lying".

Justice Bandial placated the victims with an assurance that they would be paid the compensation they are owed.

The mobile service provider Ufone had promised to pay the victims' families Rs1 million in compensation. The company will also pay each family a stipend of Rs20,000 every month for the next three years, the lawyer told the court today. The bench had ordered Ufone to submit a financial plan for the compensation of the affected families in a previous hearing.

The additional advocate general told the apex court that the Punjab government had prepared a summary and will pay Rs1 million to each family.

Balochistan government also submitted details of its compensation package that promised Rs1 million for families of victims that died in the attack, while Rs500,000 will be paid to the family of the labourer who was injured during the attack.

The court ordered the provincial governments to submit the compensation money to Okara's district judge who would distribute it among the victims' families.

SC also directed Okara police to provide security to the labourers' families.

The hearing of the case was adjourned until the first week of June.