NA panel opposes move to close down USC

The standing committee of National Assembly on Industries and Production has opposed a proposal to shut down utility stores across the country.

During the standing committee meeting presided by Syed Hafeez Uddin, the committee's members said around 16,000 employees will become jobless in case of closure of utility stores. They quoted the federal minister as saying on the assembly's floor that the Utility Stores Corporation would not be closed down. Despite the assurance, if the USC is shutdown, it will hurt the sanctity of the house, the NA panel said.

The committee's member Raja Pervez Ashraf said if the departments are closed down on the basis of corruption, then the entire country will have to a closed down.

He said if there are defects, the government should remove the defects. USC is an important department where people are given price relief, adding "We strongly oppose the move of closure of USC."

Ashraf said it is not appropriate that only few persons take a decision to close down a department, adding parliament should have been taken into confidence over making any decision.