Islamabad – In a major step towards justice, an Islamabad court ordered the compensation of 5.4 billion in Airblue Compensation to eight families of passengers who died in the tragic plane crash in 2010. This judgment, issued by Judge Rasool Bashir Mirjat, is over 15 years after the plane crashed in the Margalla Hills, killing all 152 passengers aboard.
The court, in maintaining the liability of the airline and refusing to hear its appeal, has finally offered a sense of closure to those who did not give up their desire to have accountability.
Another penalty of Rs 1 million was also awarded by the court to the airline due to the deliberate postponement of the legal process. The years-long fight over Airblue Compensation was a painful experience for many families, augmented by years of court battles.
These eight families were the only ones who insisted on fair liability when many others were allegedly coerced into signing release papers to receive less payment years ago. This sentence is a reminder that any aviation service provider should put the safety of passengers first.
Understanding the Tragedy
Flight 202 accident was one of the darkest moments in the history of aviation in Pakistan. Official investigation reports indicated that the calamity was a Controlled Flight into Terrain. This implies that the aircraft was in good technical shape, but due to the mistakes made by pilots and bad management in the cockpit, the aircraft got into the hills in bad weather.
Investigators then noted that there were grave violations of flying discipline and departure from standard procedures. The pilot is said to have flown below safe altitudes in poor visibility and even in rain.
In addition, it was observed in the courts that mistakes made by air traffic control also led to an unsafe environment.
A Precedent for Aviation Law
This ruling, according to the opinion of the legal experts, will underscore a strong precedent in future aviation liability lawsuits in the country. It sends a clear message that airlines cannot dodge their obligations by taking many legal steps and by compelling families into unjust settlements.
The Airblue Compensation case, which was successfully presented by these families, indicates that a right to a fair trial is crucial and that an action must be taken against the mighty corporations, whose failure to act responsibly results in human life being taken away.
