Over 3,000 USC contract employees laid off

ISLAMABAD:

The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has terminated the services of more than 3,000 contract employees amid widespread closures of stores operating at a loss.

This is the second major round of layoffs this year. Nearly 3,000 employees were dismissed earlier in February. The latest termination orders were issued on Friday, raising concerns among workers. In the initial phase, all daily-wage employees—many of whom had been serving the corporation for a decade—were let go.

The downsizing follows a decision by the federal cabinet on January 22, which formed a committee to plan the closure of USC operations.