The Sindh Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution unanimously to protect the jobs of all employees working at the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA). The resolution presented by lawmakers from both sides of the house, voiced concerns over the feared jobs loss of about 1100 SBCA employees protesting outside the Sindh Assembly building clamoring for their employment protection.
Nadir Magsi of PPP with senior legislator Syed Nawaz Ali Shah and Ghulam Qadir Chandio raised voice in the house, asking Speaker Sindh Assembly to let the house take its part in protecting the SBCA employees' jobs. They said the PPP's govt never deprived anyone of jobs rather provided people with employment as it is its manifesto.
They said the SBCA employees were being retrenched when the government has almost completed its five-year tenure. Sindh Senior Parliamentary Affairs Minister Nisar Khuhro said the assembly should adopt a resolution to advise the SBCA to stop the retrenchment process immediately.
He said there is a ministerial committee, which should raise the issue even after the new interim setup ahead of election. He said there are about 1100 SBCA employees who are feared with jobs loss although they had completed a probation period in 2014 and were regularized at the local government.
He pointed at a mysterious inquiry into reexamining the degrees and other credentials which triggered a discontentment among them, resultantly staged demonstration to protest outside the assembly. He said the SBCA can discuss the matter with the ministerial committee of the assembly.
MQM's Faisal Sabzwari said none should be retrenched from jobs regardless of their ethnicity and lingual background, adding that the secretary local government should not step up any such move. Aga Siraj Durrani said these employees should not be victim of any injustices, adding that they were given jobs in the department on merit under his ministerhsip.
Syed Ali Nawaz Shah said there are employees of different departments, who are working for the last five to eight years but not getting salaries, which has created a lot of financial trouble for them. He asked his party's government to look into the matter on humanitarian grounds. He also announced to forgo perks, privileges and salaries as member of the assembly for the period he did not turn up to the house for any reasons.
The house also adopted a bill into law to regularize the ad hoc doctors appointed especially for the Thar region. The bill was adopted earlier this month by the house but failed to attain the Governor's ascent, readopted into law, which will help a total of 400 contract based doctors to get their jobs permanent.
"We sent the bill to the Governor to give his ascent but he sent it back with objections. Now if we readopt, it will be seen as enforceable," Nisar Khuhro said. The assembly also passed a bill on the Sindh Institute of Traumatology Orthopedics. The house stands adjourned till Monday morning.