A Karachi court on Saturday ordered K-Electric to pay Rs13.5 million compensation to the family of Sheikh Saad Ahmed after his fatal electrocution during rainfall.
The Senior Civil Judge (Central) ruled the utility negligent, directing payment within 90 days, emphasising the responsibility of KE to ensure public safety across all installations.
Lawyer Usman Farooq stated Sheikh Saad Ahmed, sole breadwinner, died in 2019 while rescuing a child from a live electric pole reported faulty by residents.
Residents had previously informed K-Electric about current leakage from the pole, but no effective remedial action was taken before the fatal incident occurred.
Farooq added the deceased supported expenses of his family while continuing his education, highlighting the financial hardship caused by his sudden death.
The lawyer argued the pole carried private generator, telephone, and cable wires, claiming company installations were safe and denying responsibility for the electrocution incident.
He contended the victim endangered his own life by approaching the hazardous site, asserting negligence did not lie with K-Electric’s infrastructure.
The court rejected these arguments, ruling utility providers carry exceptional duty to protect the public, regardless of other entities’ wires present on shared poles.
It declared electricity leakage from a public pole constitutes clear negligence, while attempts to save human life cannot be legally considered negligence.
Under the Fatal Accidents Act, the court ordered K-Electric to pay Rs13.5 million compensation to the family of the victim within 90 days.
