* All workers directed to report to duties today
* President congratulates reinstated workers
KARACHI: The management of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), after hours-long nerve wrecking meeting with a team of federal government, decided to withdraw its decision of sacking more than 4,000 employees.
All workers are directed to report back to their duties from Monday (today).
“As per the decision of the committee, the KESC management has withdrawn its order of dismissal of employees with immediate effect,” said Water and Power Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, accompanied by Dr Farooq Sattar, at a press briefing on Sunday.
He said a three-member committee, comprising himself, Senator Mian Raza Rabbani and Federal Minister Syed Khursheed Shah, was formed by the government to hold talks with the KESC management to resolve the matter.
He said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government would protect every worker and provide job security. He said the decision to withdraw the order was taken after holding negotiations with the management of KESC.
He congratulated the reinstated employees on behalf of President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad, Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and others.
On the occasion, Dr Farooq Sattar termed the reinstatement of the sacked workers a big achievement.
Sources told Daily Times that the KESC management had placed two major issues before the team of federal government, which included recovery of dues from various government organisations, and guarantee of uninterrupted supply of gas as electricity generation by using furnace oil was not possible in the current scenario.
Sources said the KESC management was not agreeing on reversal of its earlier decision of sacking the employees. But, the federal government team contacted its owners in Pakistan and abroad and persuaded them to withdraw the decision.
The KESC management had on Wednesday laid off over 4,000 workers under a cost-cutting drive to make the utility financially viable. The late night decision forced its employees to protest and organise a four days and five nights sit-in outside the KESC head office in Gizri.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari welcomed the reinstatement of KESC employees.
He congratulated the Sindh government, the federal and provincial committees, which were constituted to resolve the issue, and all others who contributed in the reinstatement of employees and reiterated PPP’s commitment to protect workers’ rights.
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