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Pakistan Steel Mills grapples with dwindling funds to pay mosque’s 37 staff


Pakistan Steel Mills

ISLAMABAD: The crumbling edifice of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) bears the weight of 37 people in its mosque, whose livelihoods depend on the meagre funds deducted from the pockets of regular employees, who have already been facing retrenchment and layoffs.

PSM officials revealed this grim reality to the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production in a report that said that 37 staff including two chief clerics (two Khateeb-e- Ala), 16 Khateeb and 17 Moazzin and two washers (Ghusala) who had been hired by the mosque committee and not by the Pakistan Steel Mills.

According to the report, their wages amount to Rs975,000 per month, which are paid through the funds collected from the deductions made from the salaries of regular employees.

The officials told the committee that the source of funds has dried up to Rs139,000 after the mass layoffs of the PSM employees who used to contribute to the fund meant for the salary of the mosque staff. The officials, however, said that the new salary structure has not yet been implemented.

On the other hand, regarding the payment of salaries through Pakistan Steel Mills payroll, as asked by the Senate committee, the report stated that Pakistan Steel is currently undergoing a process of downsizing, for which around 5,282 employees have already been shown the door.  Besides, the report said, the fate of the remaining employees hangs in the balance, as the case is pending before the Labour Court. The report further added that the Supreme Court of Pakistan has also issued directives in this regard.

Pakistan Steel Mills lays off over 5,000 employees in four years

The report said that the issue of re-employing and paying the salaries of these 37 staff was brought up in the Enterprise Content Management (ECM). The ECM decided after thorough discussions that the case may be presented before the upcoming Board of Directors (BoD) meeting for consideration.

The report revealed that these staff (Imam Masjid and Muazzins) have filed a petition in the Sindh High Court seeking the regularization of their employment.

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