Court orders KE to pay Rs 13.5 mln compensation in electrocution case

KARACHI: The City Court on Saturday ordered to the K-Electric to pay Rs 13.5 million as compensation in a case of electrocution in which a citizen died while saving a child’s life.

Senior Civil Judge Central district in a written order declared the city’s power utility negligent. “An electricity company have an extraordinary responsibility to ensure protection of the population. Presence of other wires on electric poles doesn’t mean the power company has been absolved of its responsibility”, court said.

The court observed that securing the electricity transmission system and public places has been ultimate responsibility of the K-Electric. “Presence of electric current in poles installed at a public place is itself an evidence of negligence”.

“The act of the deceased citizen to save a child could not be declared negligence, the law sees the effort to save a human life with leniency,” the court observed.

The court also directed to the power utility to pay the compensation to the bereaved family within a maximum period of 90 days.