Aviation minister announces Rs1 million compensation for those killed in plane crash
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Aviation Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan on Saturday announced compensation for the families of those who were killed in the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plane crash a day earlier.
The PIA plane — Airbus A-320, carrying an estimated 99 people on board, crashed into a residential area near Karachi airport on Friday, resulting in 97 casualties.
Speaking to the media in Karachi, the minister said families of those who were killed would receive Rs1 million each while the two survivors would be given Rs500,000 each.
The minister also announced that the government would offer compensation to the residents of the area whose houses and cars have been affected. "A lot of damage has been done. We have directed that an initial survey be carried out and the government will pay for the damages after the assessment has been done."
Khan said that the government's first priority was to hand over the bodies of the victims to their families after identification. He expressed grief over the tragic incident and offered condolences to the families of those who died.
He paid tribute to the "spirit of the people of Karachi", who he said had participated keenly in the rescue work. He also paid tribute to the pilot, saying that video footage showed he had "tried his best to reach the runway but when he saw it was impossible, he diverted the craft to an area where there would be minimum damage".
Counter-inquiry to be done by Airbus
Khan said the Airbus company would conduct a counter-inquiry into the cause of the crash.
He assured the people that the government's inquiry would be "fair" and added that full efforts would be made to present the report to the nation and the Parliament "as soon as possible".
"Four experienced members of the Pakistan Air Force are part of the committee. They will make full efforts to present the facts."
The minister said the government would take "100 per cent" responsibility for any negligence that led to the crash. "Whoever is responsible, they will be made to resign."
Responding to a question, he added: "If the report says the PIA CEO showed negligence, he will resign. If it says we have shown negligence, then not only will we resign but also present ourselves for accountability."
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On DawnNews
May 23, 2020 02:46pm
'Committee' and 'enquiry': The bane of Pakistani investigations that yield zero results.
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May 23, 2020 02:46pm
Is paying a million as compensation a joke
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May 23, 2020 02:49pm
“Fool me once, shame on you , fool me twice, shame on me”
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May 23, 2020 02:51pm
Actions are louder than mere words. History bears testimony than in Pakistan no conclusive investigation reports have ever been made public and putting real causes under the carpet. We all know that PIA air fleet is old with poor infrastructure. Only junior ranking staff shall be taken to task as ever with no accountability of bureaucrats.
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May 23, 2020 02:56pm
Total BS offer as always. Life of loss is equivalent to 1 million PKR. Each person should be compensated 10 Million Rupees and do not dare to forget the residents who are affected and lost their lives & homes due to the incompetence of PIA. Airline CEO & other responsible along with the Aviation minister should be sacked immediately. An independent inquiry should be open and telecast by social media. This is not the first crash and this airlines and their executives and also relevant ministers have no value to human lives.
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May 23, 2020 03:11pm
Lives are lost and no money can compensate that. It would be better if he focueses is on the negligence on the incapable people and political friends that are given position in areas that they know noting of it. Incompetance in all eares of institutions our Nation is hurting with this on going favorism that still exists.
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May 23, 2020 03:13pm
Didn’t he resign yet per Khan’s ideology and teachings?
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May 23, 2020 03:19pm
CEO PIACL is a serving Air Marshal, who is also the course mate of the current Chief of the Air Staff. The Head of accident investigation board is a serving Air Commodore and its members are serving Group Captain and Wimg Commander. My concern is that how can be the investigation team be impartial when they investigating the role of one of their own top senior officers. Moreover, Additional DG CAA and Dy DGCAA are also active duty Air Vice Marshal and Air Commodore. Someone needs to look at the conflict interest that is so much visible.
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May 23, 2020 03:26pm
All announcements but nothing would happen on the ground. We all know Pakistan. Maybe these are rich people travelling by Air so they may get the money.
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May 23, 2020 03:29pm
Money can never be an alternative for the precious, dear and invaluable lives of human beings.
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May 23, 2020 03:32pm
1 million is not enough to console the victim's family. If you read up the history of deadliest Tenerife air crash in history where two planes collided. KLM organization refused to blame on pilot as he was the MOST respectable pilot all over the world, yet accepted responsibility for accident and agreed to pay compensation. Guess what was the amount? According to wiki, roughly estimated btw $ 60-120k (today's inflation). Rs. 1 million is nothing but a pure disgrace!
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May 23, 2020 03:36pm
That day will never happen. This country has zero accountability yesterday, today and tomorrow. Only will happen on Qayamat
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May 23, 2020 03:37pm
Its like INR 500K, Nothing absolutely nothing.
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May 23, 2020 03:42pm
Why 1 million to be paid to rich people by Pakistanis government let Airbus or Chinese company who leased the plance should take a heat.
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May 23, 2020 03:43pm
Compensation will not cover the loss of beloved. Minimum Compensation should be Rs. 15 million.
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May 23, 2020 03:50pm
What a joke. Rs 1 million has no value these days. People make this kind of money in a month. PTI govt is a total disappoint. Why don't PM jump from a building and we pay Rs. 1 Mill to his wife.
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May 23, 2020 03:58pm
Give them Rs.1M today, so they can arrange funeral of their beloved relative. Naturally they are getting insurance, what about model colony residence their residence, car, motor cycles damaged give the immediately.
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May 23, 2020 03:59pm
Rupees 1,000,000 compensation money.
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May 23, 2020 04:29pm
Why so much compensation for crash victims, but nothing for corona victims?
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May 23, 2020 04:30pm
Good to hear about the compensation scheme... but how about spending similar money on PPE for doctors?
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May 23, 2020 04:33pm
Instead of probing the crash honestly,why announce cash payment immediately while still bodies has not been still identified.Putting salt on the wounds ??
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May 23, 2020 04:37pm
Disband this stinking airline.
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May 23, 2020 04:37pm
A small amount compared to international awards. How much will PIA receive from its insurers? The manufacturers of the aircraft are liable too if there is negligence on their part. Boeing announced a $ 100 million award for families in the crashes of its Max aircraft.
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May 23, 2020 04:43pm
Hope what he say materialises.Normally it remain a promise.PIA has also to pay to all the concerned as per International standard.
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May 23, 2020 04:49pm
We do not need money sir, we need hanging those who are responsible. Your 1m is not going to bring anyone back. Those who travelled are rich enough to maintain themselves. You better find those black sheeps. How many more lives will lost, how many more Junaid Jamdhaids you want to die. People who travelled in your plane yesterday, most of them were from elite or high middle class families. They do not need 1m,
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May 23, 2020 04:56pm
"If the report says the PIA CEO showed negligence, he will resign. If it says we have shown negligence, then not only will we resign but also present ourselves for accountability."
Remember these words in six months, when he is refusing to step down and trying to shift the blame in whichever direction he can.
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May 23, 2020 05:20pm
One million is too little..ten million is reasonable
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May 23, 2020 05:23pm
There will be loan taken.
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May 23, 2020 05:55pm
1m? Is that change? People have more in their houses.
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May 23, 2020 06:02pm
Tragic and shocking incident, no compensation can heal the wounds. Is this money is in addition to insurance?
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May 23, 2020 06:46pm
Can any million compensate the life of your child or a loved one ???
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May 23, 2020 07:19pm
Minister of aviation! Forget the incompetence issue for the moment let’s see your credentials first.
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May 23, 2020 07:46pm
Did PIA insure those passengers . If you use modern day technology and live in 21st century then liability lies with the carrier ( hint- insurace ) . Same goes for other transportation. Is there anything right in this country .
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May 23, 2020 07:57pm
Carriage by Air Act 2012 calls for more amount than that as a matter of right. PIA should be sued for civil liability on account of damages.
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May 23, 2020 07:57pm
Wish this amount was spent on maintenance. These precious lives could have been saved. Unless PIA upgrades its fleet it should stop operating. Govt should bail out PIA by buying then new aircrafts and make PIA pay back on installments
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May 23, 2020 08:00pm
Too small compensation. Pakistani rupees 1 million is equal to Indian rupees 0.4 million only. India pay more to train or bus accident victims.
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May 23, 2020 08:02pm
I think 1 million is part of govt help to meet victim families expenses. PIA will pay separately from insurance money.
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May 23, 2020 08:02pm
Are you taking loan for this Sir?
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May 23, 2020 08:09pm
Pakistan should demands that Airbus given 2 million dollars each to every dead and half this amount that every one injured on the ground. In addition, France, where A320 was made should waive off all the loan given to Pakistan as goodwill gesture.
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May 23, 2020 08:28pm
Rather than giving compensation, possibly accommodate as much as you can in government service where applicable.
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May 23, 2020 08:44pm
Where is the money. From loans?
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May 23, 2020 08:47pm
@Venkataraman Iyer, we asked china waiting for response
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May 23, 2020 09:42pm
There is really no escape for PIA, whether technical or pilot error.
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May 23, 2020 10:23pm
Bravo... A very generous hand out... Kudos... Or, is it!
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
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May 23, 2020 10:49pm
@Venkataraman Iyer, Does your Indian Tax Department know that you have
lot of money in the Bank?
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May 23, 2020 11:29pm
Is the compensation payment announced in addition to the compulsory insurance payment which is mandatory throughout the world for air travels?
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May 24, 2020 12:30am
Plane and it's passengers are always insured. 1 million is kind of sick joke even before completion of an inquiry which might allow people to sue PIA.
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May 24, 2020 12:41am
And that is the end of Justice, I guess. I could not understand why such tall buildings are on the flight path? Why PAK. Govt. does not keep the flight path clear to avoid such accidents in the future?
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May 24, 2020 01:02am
PIA crashes: 1956 1957 1958 1959 1965 1965 1965 1967 1970 1972 1979 1986 1989 1992 2006 2016 2020
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May 24, 2020 01:20am
A million Pakistani rupees is the price of human life in Pakistan. Shame
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May 24, 2020 01:40am
Minister should first take responsibility and resign. Beside heavy PIA loses Civil Aviation record is very poor and going down continuously. One million is too little compensation it, should at least be 10 million rupees.
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May 24, 2020 03:55am
Thats pathetic less than 10 thousand dollars for a life
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May 24, 2020 04:03am
PM IK will now apply for loans & grants from the International Air Travel Association (IATA), UNO, IMF, World Bank (IBRD), ADB, European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), US Government, G20, Organization of American States (OAS), Association of SE Asian Nations (ASEAN), Organization of African Unity (OAU) & others based on the justification that an aircraft has crashed.
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May 24, 2020 04:34am
PKR1.000M is less than $6,500/- So disgusting. MOM award is more than this. Usual insurance coverage is around $100K per passenger. Who is getting the rest?
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May 24, 2020 08:44am
When will you resign along with CEO PIA and PN.
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May 24, 2020 10:25am
One million rupees is nothing, The victims family must sue PIA
and demand at least one billion of rupees or more in compensation.
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May 24, 2020 01:44pm
Please conduct a fair investigation by a balanced and technically qualified team. Release the report. Take action.
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