KARACHI (Dunya News) – A city court in Karachi has ordered K-Electric to pay Rs13.5 million in compensation following the death of a local resident who was electrocuted while trying to save a child during rainfall.
The court found K-Electric negligent in maintaining its electrical infrastructure, stating that the presence of live current in a public utility pole itself indicated lapses in safety measures.
The victim, Sheikh Saad Ahmed, died in 2019 after coming into contact with a pole while rescuing a child. Despite residents’ complaints about the faulty pole, no action was taken by the utility company.
K-Electric’s lawyers argued that the pole in question was not owned by the company and that the electrocution was caused by wires from private generators, claiming the victim had endangered himself by approaching a hazardous area.
Rejecting this argument, the court emphasized that power distribution companies have a heightened duty to ensure public safety, and the presence of other private wires does not absolve K-Electric of responsibility.
The court also acknowledged the victim’s attempt to save a child, noting that the law views efforts to save human life with leniency.
The court directed K-Electric to disburse the compensation to the claimants within 90 days.