SC orders to pay victims of riots within a month

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday ordered the federal and provincial governments to compensate within one month the affectees of violent protests held in the wake of the release of Asia Bibi — a Christian woman previously condemned to death on blasphemy charges.

A two-member bench, under Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar’s stewardship, was hearing a suo motu case.

The Punjab advocate general told the court that losses have been estimated to the tune of Rs262 million, adding that the cabinethasapprovedtheestimatedigure.

“You have submitted reports on estimated loss but what about the time frame and the mode of payments,” the chief justice asked. “Have you devised a plan or is this [merely] paperwork?” Justice Iazul Ahsan enquired.

At this, the home department’s section oficer assured the bench that payments will be made during the ongoing month.

The court ordered the provincial government to submit an implementation report after making payments within a month.

Duringthelasthearingofthesuomotu notice on loss of properties during violent protest against the release of Asia Bibi, the court had directed the federal and provincial governments to submit their plans for the payment of compensation to those who lost their lives and properties during protests.

Justice Nisar had expressed dissatisfaction over reports submitted by the governments of Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa about the loss of lives and damage caused to private property by the protesters.