ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary committee on Thursday directed the national flag carrier to ensure the payment of compensation to the people affected in a plane crash in Karachi.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances held a meeting at Parliament House with its chairman and chief whip of the ruling party Malik Mohammad Amir Dogar.

A PIA passenger plane with 100 people onboard crashed in Karachi’s Model Colony near Jinnah International Airport in May this year.

The standing committee was informed that there were 27 claims by the general public for damages of their movable properties.

The PIA has paid 23 people and four cheques are available for disbursement to the complainants who are abroad.

In response to a question by the committee, PIA authorities said the national flag carrier had paid Rs1 million to each of the families of the deceased persons.

Moreover, two families and the two people who remained alive have already received their compensation.

According to the officials, the remaining people have not yet submitted their documents to apply for compensation. They assured the committee members that all the affected people would be compensated soon after PIA received their paperwork. The committee was informed that PIA, PTV and Radio Pakistan had not paid honoraria to their employees who served in Parliament House during the budget sessions 2018-19 and 2019-20. The committee showed its displeasure over non-payment of the honoraria to the employees. It directed that honoraria be paid to all concerned employees without further delay to avoid strict action against the concerned administrations.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2020