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Bhoja passengers were third-party insured

KARACHI - A report submitted to the federal government has revealed that all passengers and their luggage of the ill-fated Bhoja Air Boeing 737-200 were third-party insured through a Russian firm for $5 million.

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Bhoja Air’s Pakistani insurance company was Reliance Insurance while it also had third-party insurance of passengers and luggage from Imogsstrakh Insurance Company of Moscow. According to reports, every passenger of the ill-fated aircraft should receive a minimum of Rs5 million as compensation.

The report also stated that 80 per cent shares of Bhoja Air were owned by its Managing Director Arshad Jalil, while the rest are owned by his wife Mrs Jalil, son Umar Jalil, and three other people including its former owner Farooq Bhoja. The report states that Farooq Bhoja owned only five per cent of shares. The remaining shares belong to two directors, Mazhar Hussain and Zeeshan Kirmani.

Arshad Jalil, known to have access to right people in right places, has previously served as Aircraft Engineer as well as adviser to the Pakistan International Airlines. He was later involved in the functioning of Shaheen Air and Pearl Air, an engineering firm and internet company.

The plane was owned by a Gulf based company and was registered in South Africa and had completed 46,933 flying hours. Bhoja Air acquired it for $20,000 on a rental basis and it arrived in Pakistan on January 26 this year after completion of the formalities.

The registration number of the Boeing 737-200 was AP-BKC, its serial number was 23167 and it rolled out of the assembly line in 1985. It was also in the fleet of Shaheen Air on lease for few years.

The civil aviation authority of South Africa had given it clearance before the aircraft flew to Pakistan. The engineers of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Pakistan had also given a clear report when they examined it in South Africa, the report states.

news@khaleejtimes.com