Non-payment of fund to ex-PSM employees: SHC summons finance, industry secretaries

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday summoned Federal Secretaries of Finance and Industries & Productions in a petition regarding non-payment of gratuity and provident fund to the retired employees of Pakistan Steel Mill.
A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Shafi Mohammad Siddiqui also sought the details of sold lands of Steel Mill. Justice Shafi remarked that we have been hearing for a long time that measures are being taken to revive steel mill, but nothing is on ground.
Counsel for petitioners submitted before the court that federal government sold 1500 acres of steel mill in January 2018. However no one knows where has Rs 206 billion generated from sale of land gone. Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan told the court that federal cabinet decided not to privatize steel mill and would be revived through public-private partnership.
Attorney General told the court that government is releasing the salaries to the employees of steel mill, which is not making productions. He said that equity would come for the steel mill as soon as the permission was granted for public-private partnership to run the steel mill.
Attorney General requested the court to summon joint secretary of Finance Minister instead of Finance Secretary, who is pre-occupied with immense official work.
Meanwhile, Justice Shafi Siddiqui refused to hear the petition against national cricketer Shoaib Malik for vistiting a "Sheesha" café with his family before the match against Afghanistan in World Cup 2019.
Justice Shafi referred the petition to Chief Justice Sindh High Court to constitute a new bench after he refused to hear the petition, citing personal reasons. Petitioner sought the court's orders to ask Shoaib Malik, Imam-ul-Haq and Wahab Riaz as on whose permission they went to the café by accusing them of using drug before the match.