After more than a decade of agonizing legal contest, the families who lost loved ones in Pakistan’s deadliest aviation accident have finally secured an emphatic ruling.
An Islamabad court has ordered the private carrier Airblue to pay a staggering Rs 5.415 billion ($19.4 million) in compensation to the families of eight victims of the 2010 crash, emphatically upholding the airline’s liability in the tragedy that shocked the nation.
The judgment, issued by the Court of the Additional District Judge-III (West), Islamabad, led by Dr. Rasool Bukhsh Mirjat, not only dismissed every appeal filed by the carrier but also imposed an additional penalty on the airline for frustrating the legal process.
Key Highlights
- The court awarded a total compensation of Rs 5.415 billion to the families of eight victims of Airblue Flight 202.
- The ruling dismissed all eight appeals filed by Airblue, affirming the airline’s responsibility for the accident.
- An additional fine of Rs 1 million was imposed on the airline for each appeal, totaling Rs 8 million, due to the delay in proceedings.
- Airblue Flight 202 crashed into the Margalla Hills near Islamabad on July 28, 2010, resulting in the deaths of all 152 people on board.
- Official investigations classified the accident as a CFIT, citing pilot error, poor cockpit resource management, and contributing errors by air traffic control.
Verdict that Shifts the Tides
The ruling stems from a civil claim filed against Airblue after the crash of the Airbus A321-231. The original investigation by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) pointed toward a critical failure in human-technology interaction. The inquiry cited pilot error, specifically a descent below the prescribed safe altitude and deviation from standard operating procedures during a circling approach in poor visibility.
The official report minced no words regarding the technical and procedural failure, stating the crash was a Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT), “in which the aircrew failed to display superior judgment and professional skills in a self-created unsafe environment. In their pursuit to land in inclement weather, they committed serious violations of procedures and breaches of flying discipline, which put the aircraft in an unsafe condition over dangerous terrain at low altitude.”
Decade-long Battle for Accountability
For years, the families of the victims endured protracted litigation, with many initially pressured by Airblue to sign a release document and accept a minimum First Tier Liability settlement. Yet, a few families refused this settlement, sticking to the principle of fair compensation for their irreplaceable loss, and they led the court fight.
This judgment provides the relief they sought, putting a definitive number to that loss. The court’s verdict criticized the carrier for repeatedly filing appeals and wasting judicial time by contesting compensation. According to the verdict, the total compensation will be paid to the claimant groups as follows:
- Sumera Naveed Choudhry and two others: Rs 143.189 million
- Rashid Zulfiqar and four others: Rs 630.94 million
- Muhammad Ilyas: Rs 1.101 billion
- Gohar Rehman: Rs 507.348 million
- Junaiduz Zaman Hamid: Rs 996.048 million
- Muhammad Javed Khan: Rs 857.025 million
- Mst. Salima Rajput: Rs 572.666 million
- Retired Colonel Shamim Akhtar: Rs 606 million
Legal experts suggest that the judgment is more than just a financial settlement; it could set an important precedent for aviation liability and compensation cases in Pakistan. By dismissing the airline’s arguments and penalizing it for delaying the process, the court has sent a powerful message about corporate responsibility in high-tech transportation sectors.