PTDC staff protest salary suspension
35 PTDC hotels and motels locked up across country.
“Provident funds and employee increments have been suspended for the last seven years,” says PTDC's employees union president. PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
More than 700 Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) employees have locked hotels and motels across the country to protest non-payment of salaries and perks, which they have not received for 16 months.
Around 35 hotels and motels owned by PTDC in Hunza, Naran, Kaghan, Swat, Kalam, Chitral and Gilgit and other areas have been closed to the public. PTDC’s Employees Union President Majid Yaqub said that the corporation would only re-open the facilities once the outstanding salaries were paid. “Provident funds and employee increments have been suspended for the last seven years,” he claimed.
He added that 11 employees were terminated for raising their voice against PTDC Managing Director Mir Shahjahan Khetran and for highlighting their issues in the media. Yaqub alleged that Khetran had embezzled PTDC funds and appointed his nephew Mir Zaman Khetran as a signatory for cheques in a blatant act of nepotism.
Khetran had also appointed Saeed Abbas Ansari as general manager finance and Abdur Rasool Zahidi as the second signatory. Without Ansari and Zahidi’s approval, employees’ salaries cannot be paid, said Yaqub.
He said PTDC had decided to move the court against Khetran and would also raise the issue of nepotism with the incumbent managing director.
“Tourists pay hotel and motel rents in cash but there is no mechanism to record inflows due to which the money can easily be misappropriated,” said Yaqub. A senior PTDC official, requesting anonymity, confirmed the allegations levelled by Yaqub, adding that Khetran had recruited 1,100 employees, overburdening the corporation.
“Thousands of tourists will suffer due to the protests,” said the official. “PTDC is now experiencing losses.” When contacted, Khetran termed the allegations baseless and said some PTDC officials were running a smear campaign against him. He stated that he had only appointed 45 persons.
“The former prime minister had approved a grant of Rs5 million for payment of salaries. We’ve paid 14 months of outstanding dues while the rest will be settled soon,” he claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2013.
More than 700 Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) employees have locked hotels and motels across the country to protest non-payment of salaries and perks, which they have not received for 16 months.
Around 35 hotels and motels owned by PTDC in Hunza, Naran, Kaghan, Swat, Kalam, Chitral and Gilgit and other areas have been closed to the public. PTDC’s Employees Union President Majid Yaqub said that the corporation would only re-open the facilities once the outstanding salaries were paid. “Provident funds and employee increments have been suspended for the last seven years,” he claimed.
He added that 11 employees were terminated for raising their voice against PTDC Managing Director Mir Shahjahan Khetran and for highlighting their issues in the media. Yaqub alleged that Khetran had embezzled PTDC funds and appointed his nephew Mir Zaman Khetran as a signatory for cheques in a blatant act of nepotism.
Khetran had also appointed Saeed Abbas Ansari as general manager finance and Abdur Rasool Zahidi as the second signatory. Without Ansari and Zahidi’s approval, employees’ salaries cannot be paid, said Yaqub.
He said PTDC had decided to move the court against Khetran and would also raise the issue of nepotism with the incumbent managing director.
“Tourists pay hotel and motel rents in cash but there is no mechanism to record inflows due to which the money can easily be misappropriated,” said Yaqub. A senior PTDC official, requesting anonymity, confirmed the allegations levelled by Yaqub, adding that Khetran had recruited 1,100 employees, overburdening the corporation.
“Thousands of tourists will suffer due to the protests,” said the official. “PTDC is now experiencing losses.” When contacted, Khetran termed the allegations baseless and said some PTDC officials were running a smear campaign against him. He stated that he had only appointed 45 persons.
“The former prime minister had approved a grant of Rs5 million for payment of salaries. We’ve paid 14 months of outstanding dues while the rest will be settled soon,” he claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 19th, 2013.