Siraj ul Haq condemns govt on sacking employees of Pakistan Steel Mills

Lahore : Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Senator Siraj ul Haq has condemned the government decision to sack over 9,350 employees of the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) without even conducting a probe into a deliberate destruction of country’s once top steel-producing unit.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan should fulfill his promise of turning the
Steel Mills into a productive and lively unit,” he said on Friday
while reminding the PTI chairman’s tall claims he made with the
nation during the election campaign to bring back the old glory of
the PSM after coming into power.

Instead of creating 10 million jobs which was also promised by the
prime minister, the government had made thousands jobless in
past 22 months, he regretted.

Sirajul Haq demanded the immediate restoration of the employees of the PSM on their positions and also called for clearance of over Rs15 billion
pending dues of the retired employees. Since the sacked employees were promised compensation package, the government should pay Rs30, 000 per months to every worker until the clearance of the dues, he said.

Established in 70s on thousands of acres of land in Karachi, the PSM was an asset of the nation, he said, emphasizing the need for taking steps for the restoration of the unit by using the services and talent of the employees. He sought latest situation on the case of the Steel Mills referred to the NAB by the Standing Committee of Senate on Defense.

He thanked the Supreme Court of Pakistan for taking up the case of the PSM employees.

Meanwhile, JI Deputy Emir Liaqat Baloch warned the government
against emergence of food security issue in coming months dueto low production of grain crops in country. He said the farmers had to face loss of billion of rupees due to attack of locust and unusual rains and hail storms.

The government, he said, failed to compensate the growers and also seemed unconcerned over future challenges to agriculture sector. Baloch also expressed regret over the alarming rise of Covid-19 infection, holding the authorities responsible for the increase in number of patients.

He said the government mismanagement was clear in the matter, adding the SoPs were only being followed in mosques. He said the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir were passing through the most difficult time of their history of freedom movement. He said the world must turn their attention towards the Kashmir issue.