LHC dissatisfied with Punjab govt reply on lay-offs

CJ asks about measures taken to protect workers

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan directed the provincial government on Thursday to submit a comprehensive reply on a plea against the terminations of thousands of employees from factories and other businesses during the ongoing lockdown imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The top judge of the province expressed his dissatisfaction over the reply submitted by the Punjab government and ordered the submission of a reply again. The chief justice asked what measures the government had taken to ensure protection of the workers. The court also asked the petitioner to submit the list of labourers and other employees who had been sacked.

The petitioner contended that the lockdown had been announced in the country following the alarming situation of coronavirus pandemic, which had engulfed millions of lives across the world.

Currently, the government strictly restrained the people from going outdoors except for purchasing essential items. But on the other hand several factory owners had removed from service employees, including labourers, the petitioner said. He said wages of the labourers had also been curtailed in the industrial sector of Punjab. He implored the Sindh and Blochistan governments had taken steps to protect the workers by restoring them on their jobs but the Punjab government had not taken any such initiative so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2020.