LAHORE - The Lahore High Court yesterday directed the Punjab government to furnish all details of provision of compensation announced by chief minister of Punjab for affectees of a factory collapse in Sundar. 

Justice Ali Baqar Qureshi of the LHC heard the case and adjourned further hearing until June 28.

Justice Qureshi expressed serious concerns over non-payment of compensation to the laborers who were badly affected in factory collapse. “It is the bad luck of the country of being left into the lurch by rulers who are running the country affairs from London, United States and Dubai,” remarked Justic Qureshi.

Assistant Advocate General Adnan Tariq appeared before the court and said that according to the recommendations of the inquiry committee, only the factory owner had to pay the compensation to the affectees. 

A representative of Sundar Industrial Estate submitted that the members of the inquiry committee were on a government tour to China and sought more time to complete the inquiry report.

However, Asghar Gill, counsel for deceased factory owner’s son Rana Shehzad,  said that he has given Rs 5 lac each to families of 45 deceased. He said according to the decided formula, they were also paying Rs 1 lack each to 300 injured labourers. He said the amount announced by chief minister for the effectees is not paid so far. He said the district administration is also not allowing them to clear the debris from the site of the factory.

A lawyer had also filed a petition before the LHC and sought judicial inquiry into the factory that collapsed in Sundar Industrial Estate taking lives of dozens of workers.

The petitioner said that several violations of the laws were exposed after the factory’s collapse. He said the factory management violated laws from child labour to building by-laws. He also said the pathetic condition of rescue emergency service departments was also exposed, as they were took many days to remove the rubble from the site.

He prayed the court to order a judicial inquiry into the incident so that responsible individuals and authorities could be held guilty.