The MuttahidaQaumi Movement-Pakistan and Pak Sarzameen Party have demanded immediate withdrawal of the decision to sack services of 9,350 of employeesof the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM).Both the parties have strongly censured the move buy the Centre. It is to note that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet has approved laying off of all the 9,350 PSM employees with a one-time severance cost of about Rs20 billion in the name of “human resource rationalisation plan”. However, the MQM-P and PSP were not in agreement with the so-called human resource rationalisation plan as they wanted the government to revive the ailing PSM with the existing workforce instead of snatching livelihoods of thousands of workers. MQM-P Convener Dr Khalid MaqboolSiddiquihas condemned the government’s decision and said that the present government had promised to protect jobs of PSM employees but instead of keeping its promise it was going to sack them in the name of an economic package. He said the MQM-P had time and again demanded of the prime minister and Sindh governor that meaningful steps be taken to revive the PSM. He demanded that the government withdraw its decision to terminate the services of over 9,000 employees and provide them complete job security. On the other hand, PSP chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal has called the government plan “forced dismissal of 9,350 employees” in the name of so-called “golden handshake”. Terming it “economic murder of thousands of employees and a clear enmity towards Karachi”, Kamal said that the entire election campaign of the PTI was focused on strengthening state institutions, eliminating debts and reviving economy but now it appeared to be taking steps towards privatisation of these institutions. “Before assuming office, Prime Minister Imran Khan had promised the PSM employees that as soon as he becomes premier, outstanding dues of all employees will be paid, but unfortunately the PM once again took a U-turn on his own promises,” he told a delegation of PSM workers who called on him at the PSP headquarters.
