Job contracts: Apex court seeks federal, provincial responses

LHWs have been demanding regularisation of services and pay raises.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Monday elicited responses from all provincial governments as well as the federal government regarding the job contracts of lady health workers across the country.

While hearing an application filed by Lady Health Workers Association chairperson Bushra Arain, a three-member bench of the court directed all provincial chief secretaries as well as the federal government to submit their replies in this regard.

During the hearing of the case, the apex court was informed that the government did not raise salaries of LHWs despite clear-cut directions by the courts.

Arain also requested the court to issue an order to the provincial governments to complete payment of their salaries.

The LHWs have been demanding regularisation and raises in their salaries. Around 130,400 women across the country are working under the LHW programme.

The apex court also issued notices to Attorney General Irfan Qadir to submit a detailed reply in this regard and adjourned the hearing till May 10.

The court also directed the LHWs to call off their strike and rejoin their offices so that their case could commence smoothly.

Justice Arif Hussain Khilji appealed to the workers to put up their matters before elected representatives so that their problems could be solved immediately.

They requested the apex court to regularise the LHW programme as well.

The LHWs have been protesting for months across the country against non-payment of salaries and against the government’s failure to regularise their services.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2012.