Sindh to approach Centre on PSM layoffs

Ghani announces committee to resolve sacked workers’ issues; PR to take action against protesters

KARACHI:

The Sindh government has decided to approach the Centre over the sacking of more than 4,500 Pakistan Steel Mills' employees and apprise it of its reservations on the layoffs.

Sources in the provincial government told The Express Tribune said it wasn't taken into confidence on the matter, adding that top officials were worried that the outcry of the terminated employees could land it in a difficult position.

Had the local administration and the provincial government been taken into confidence before the terminations were finalised, the situation could have been managed better, they added.

The PSM - the country's biggest industrial complex -had laid off on Friday 4,544 of its employees in a move strongly criticised by the Sindh government.

The move had sparked protests, with sacked workers staging demonstrations and even disrupting train services to and from the city.

Committee to be set up

Meeting the leaders of aggrieved PSM employees on Wednesday, Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani assured them the Sindh government would soon set up a committee to resolve their issues.

Strongly condemning the federal government over the sackings, he said the Sindh government was standing by the terminated employees. "We will convey your demands to the Centre," he told the dismissed employees' delegation. "And if it doesn't accept them, protesting is your right."

Action against sit-in

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Railways is reportedly planning to file a case against the sacked PSM employees for staging an hours-long sit-in on railway tracks on Tuesday, disrupting train operations.

The PR will file the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Landhi railway police station, said railway sources, who told The Express Tribune that relevant authorities in the Ministry of Railways have been informed of the decision.

"Blocking railway tracks and disrupting trains' movement is a criminal offence," said an official, adding that train services remained suspended for 12 hours due to the sit-in and the movement of at least 12 trains scheduled to leave and arrive in Karachi was badly affected. "Scores of passengers were inconvenienced and the PR suffered a loss of thousands of rupees."

'Unconstitutional and illegal'

In the meantime, Senator Raza Rabbani termed the sackings "an unconstitutional and illegal act by the federal government."

Addressing a press conference along with representatives of workers' bodies at the Karachi Press Club (KPC), Rabbani demanded the Centre withdraw the dismissal order and shelve all plans of privatising state institutions.

"All workers' bodies, progressive elements, civil society and academia will resist this anti-workers decision at all forums," he said, commenting that the "decision to privatise and sell PSM is motivated by the incumbent government's intention to serve the interests of crony capitalists and international donors."

Besides, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research’s Karamat Ali announced a 'mazdoor committee' would be set up at the national level to fight against such privatisation.

Demonstration

The Home Based Women Workers Federation also staged a protest seeking the workers' reinstatement.

HBWWF general secretary Zahra Khan dubbed the layoffs "a condemnable step, especially when the country is facing a serious economic crisis."

Published in The Express Tribune, December 3^rd, 2020.