A court has directed K-Electric to pay Rs 19.3 million in compensation to the family of an 8-year-old boy, Azhan Siddiqui, who tragically lost his life to electrocution over six years ago.
The ruling was delivered by Senior Civil Judge East Karachi, Ambreen Jamal, on Tuesday, holding K-Electric accountable for the incident, which occurred during the 2017 rains.
Azhan’s parents had filed a petition against K-Electric, accusing the company of criminal negligence and a failure to ensure adequate safety measures. They argued that the company neglected to install guard wires on power lines and did not maintain or repair damaged wires.
According to the petition, the electric wires had snapped during the rain due to a physical defect attributed to K-Electric’s negligence. Despite being detached from the pole, the wire remained live, resulting in the fatal electrocution of the young boy.
Judge Jamal’s verdict deemed K-Electric responsible for the tragedy, ordering the compensation as restitution for the family’s loss.