ISLAMABAD: Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MoNFSR) has been requesting the Cabinet Division that a proposal for supplementary grant to Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) may be placed before Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet.

Sources said that the Ministry dated 4th April 2023 moved a note the Cabinet Division asking it that the summary for supplementary grant to PCCC may be placed before ECC of the Cabinet positively; however, outcome of the request remains unclear.

The Ministry of NFS&R also referred a summary earlier moved for supplementary grant to PCCC but it returned back with the observation that the same may be routed through Finance Division. Accordingly, the summary was submitted to that Finance Division dated 07.03.2023.

An official said that the employees of the PCCC have also written a letter to the Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, as well as, other members of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet with regard to non-payment of their salaries for the last ten months.

In the letter, the employees of the PCCC informed the Dar that 1100employees of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee were not paid their salaries for last 10 month. Similarly, the pensioners have not been paid their pensions.

As a result employees are unable to feed their families and their families have been under immense stress. The Minister in the letter was further told that three employees have committed suicide during the last ten months after becoming disheartened from the financial situation due to non-payment of salaries.

The Minister was also informed that an amount of Rs3.5billion is pending on account of cess from All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA). They urged him to get the amount clear from textile mills for the PCCC. The employees have also requested to the finance minister to find out a permanent solution of the employees of PCCC.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023