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Thursday, October 10, 2024

Utility store employee’s Dharna at D-Chowk enters into third day

News Desk |

The deadlock between the government authorities and workers of Utility Stores Corporation has continued as sit-in of employees of the federal capital at the D Chowk has entered into the third day, local publications reported. The workers have been protesting against the privatization of the corporation.

Hundreds of protesters gathered near the parliament have declined to wind up their demonstration until the issuance of a promised notification, stipulating to accept their demands, from the trade adviser.

PMLN and PPP who in the last ten years have destroyed Utility Stores and made it bankrupt are now trying to incite some miscreants.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Political Affairs Naeem-Ul-Haq addressed the protesters on Tuesday, the 23rd of October and assured them that all their demands would be met. Refusing to end their protest on the issue of possible privatization of Utility Stores Corporation, the protest has now entered into the third day, causing inconvenience for traffic and local residents since October 22nd.

The Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan is a state-owned enterprise that operates chain stores all over the country which provide basic commodities to the general public at prices lower than the open market due to government subsidies.

Read more: Will government finally take action to end Islamabad sit-in?

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader approved all demands put forth by the workers of Utility Stores for permanent contracts and against the likely closure of the stores adding that they were all reasonable and acceptable to the government.

“All demands of Utility Stores Employees are reasonable and acceptable to Government. PMLN and PPP who in the last ten years have destroyed Utility Stores and made it bankrupt are now trying to incite some miscreants. All 15000 employees have a bright future under PTI government,” read Haque’s tweet.

Furthermore, the disgruntled employees also demanded that their contracts be made permanent with a rise in their salaries and wages.

He also assured that all daily wage earners and contract employees would be regularized by the government by implementing an order passed in 2017. He said that government would also pay all the outstanding amounts owed by the Utility Stores Corporation.

On the third day, however, the protestors have refused to call it off unless the demands are formally agreed upon on paper. “All of us are spending our nights on roads in cold weather. We will not get up from here unless our demands are accepted by the government in written form,” a worker participating in the protest said.

Read more: Karachi becomes battle field: CJP extends eviction deadline

The employees of the corporation prompted the government to settle Rs27.6 billion worth of its subsidy claims that had been in pending since the past seven years leading to the probable closure of the stores across the country due to a financial crisis.

Furthermore, the disgruntled employees also demanded that their contracts be made permanent with a rise in their salaries and wages.