MULTAN, Sept 14: The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Khanewal, took five years to pay compensation to the heirs of its two sewermen drowned while clearing a choked gutter.

Two brothers — Afzal Masih and Akram Masih — were drowned reportedly due to some poisonous gas of the choked sewer. Their father Anwar Masih had filed an application with the labour court in Multan when the Phed refused to compensate the deaths.

The labour court decided the matter in favour of the complainant and directed the department to pay him the compensation. However, the department instead moved the Lahore High Court against the decree.

At the LHC, the Phed took stand that only one of the deceased persons was its employee. Rejecting the Phed plea, the court directed it to pay Rs200,000 compensation to both the deceased sons of the complainant.

But, the LHC ruling fell on the deaf ear of the Phed. Later, the Justice and Peace Commission took up the matter and succeeded in getting justice for the bereaved family.

The Compensation Commissioner of the area handed over Rs200,000 cheque to the complainant the other day.