‘Centre mum over Sindh govt’s offer to take over PSM’

The provincial government is ready to run Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) with the support of its workers, said Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference along with the leaders of trade unions of the PSM, Nasir said the federal government, however, had not responded positively to provincial government's offer.

Recently, equipment and machinery of the PSM was stolen allegedly with the connivance of mill's administration, he said. "We have asked the Sindh police chief to register a case of theft and take action against responsible persons involved in the stealing of equipment and machinery of the country's largest public sector steel mills."

Police have been asked to identify and arrest the suspects irrespective of their rank and status, said Nasir.

He questioned how the theft took place amid high security.

He said the Sindh government was serious about taking over the industrial unit, but could not do so due to stake of the federal government.

"We also want to run the PSM in under a public-private partnership model," he said.

A trade union leader of the PSM said it was incorrect to say that the federal government had paid voluntarily retirement benefits to the steel giant's workers. No worker has received golden handshake or other benefits, he maintained.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 11^th, 2021.