KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Information Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the provincial government is ready to run Pakistan Steel Mills with support of workers and appealed the federal government to resolve workers issues.

Addressing a press conference along with leaders of trade unions of PSM Syed Nasir Shah said the federal government has not responded positively on provincial government’s response.

Recently many important equipment and machinery of the PSM was stolen in connivance of mills administration which has caused a concern to the employees.

“We have asked the Sindh police chief to register a case of theft and take action against responsible persons, involved in stealing of equipment and machinery.”

Police have been asked to arrest the culprits and investigate who were the responsible.

He said the machineries and equipment are costly and how that theft happened amid high security at the PSM premises.

He said Sindh government is serious to take over but with federal government’s contest it cannot legally take over.

“We also want to run the PSM in public private partnership basis,” he said adding that the provincial government has formed a ministerial committee comprising four members of Sindh Cabinet and trade unions to resolve problems of the workers.

Recently the Russian Foreign Minister visited Pakistan and the Chief Minister of Sindh requested him to help revive PSM because it was in fact established by Russia in 1980s.

A trade union leader of PSM said it is incorrect to say that the federal government has paid voluntarily retirement benefits. No worker has received golden handshake or other benefits. The government has removed over 5000 workers recently without paying any benefit to them.

Karamat Ali, Executive Director of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research PILER said thousands of workers have been rendered jobless in the name of privatisation.—PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021