NIRC faces chronic staff shortage; IHC seeks reply from establishment, cabinet secretaries. PHOTO: FILE
There is just one member working where there were supposed to be nine. The place is a commission that is constitutionally-mandated to work toward resolving labourers issues across the country.
The National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) is supposed to have nine- members, but in reality has only one. Not once in the last two years, have all nine positions been filled.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has now sought a reply from top government officials on why this is the case.
Petitioner Akhtar Anjum through his counsel Umair Baloch filed a petition requesting the IHC to direct to the government to make fill the longstanding vacancies at the commission.
Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan issued notices to the establishment and cabinet secretaries and the NIRC chairman asking them to explain the government’s stance in the next hearing.
The lawyer said that according to the NIRC Act, the government was bound to make appointments, but no practical step has been taken by the government so far. He said that in October last year, two members retired, and now there is only one appointed.
The counsel contended the appointment of NIRC members was important as hundreds of labourers were facing problems due to lack of representation in the commission.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 29th, 2014.
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