KARACHI, Aug 25: The Sindh High Court on Saturday asked the provincial government to consider the compensation plea of a gang-rape victim, Kainat Soomro, on humanitarian grounds.

The victim had moved the court for full payment of compensation as announced by the Sindh chief minister.

A division bench headed by Justice Maqbool Baqir heard her plea on Saturday and asked the government to consider it on humanitarian grounds.

In her petition, she submitted that the chief minister had ordered payment of Rs500,000 as compensation in August 2010. During the course of seeking justice, she also lost her brother, she stated.

She informed the court that the provincial finance department had paid Rs300,000 to her out of the compensation amount announced by the chief minister.

She prayed to the court to direct the respondent finance secretary to ensure disbursement of the remaining amount to her.

Additional Advocate-General Shafi Muhammad Memon submitted that on an earlier direction by the court, a report was sought from the finance department regarding the unpaid amount of compensation but the report was yet to be received.

He sought time to ascertain the status of the report.

Asking the provincial authorities to consider the gang-rape victim’s plea on humanitarian grounds, the bench adjourned the hearing till Sept 18 and directed the provincial law officer to submit a report on the date.—PPI