Nasir assures steel mill protestors to extend constitutional assistance

Sher Afzal

KARACHI: On Sunday Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government visited the protesting workers of Pakistan Steel Mill and upon his request the workers ended their protest.

According to the Government of Sindh official press release the Steel Mill sacked workers ended their sit in front of CEO Steel Mill residence.

Additionally, Sindh Minister for Information & Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah who visited them for solidarity and also attended the funeral prayers of Steel Mill worker Sher Muhammad who died last night during the protest.

The protestor ended dispersed after the guarantee given by Syed Nasir Hussain Shah to extend legal, constitutional and moral assistance to workers movement.

Critiquing the PTI government, he advised protestor not to rely on insensitive PTI rulers adding that their sit in had no effect on the U turn champions.

While calling out the incumbent government, he added that,“  PTI had not sacked workers  forcibly who had given their whole lives serving the mill , if they have any sympathy with the workers.’

Sindh Minister further mentioned that before coming to government PTI had made commitment with steel mill workers for running the mill and promised not to sack any works but after coming into power, they had taken usual ‘U-turn’ on their stance on steel mill issue.

While talking about PPP support Syed Nasir Hussain Shah added that Sindh government was standing with workers in their legitimate struggle and from day one ,Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had instructed Sin-dh government to extend every possible support to sacked steel mill workers. 

Furthermore, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah maintained that Chief Minster Sindh constituted a committee co-mprised of him and Min-ister Labour Saeed Ghani , Advisor Law Barrister Murtaza Wahab , Special Assistant to CM Sindh Waqar Mehdi and others.

While giving assurance to the workers he stated S-indh government had written a letter to federal government for seeking control of steel mill and added that they were also sending the reminder on the issue in form of another letter. 

Highlighting the efforts of Sindh government on the matter, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that Sindh Assembly had also passed resolution on the steel mill matter. 

The Sindh Chief Minister had got included the issue of steel mill in the agenda of Council of Common Interest (CCI).

The Provincial Minister said that we will do whatever is in the authority of Sindh government. “We are with the workers and will never allow any atrocities to take place against,” he said

Sindh Minister commented that their first priority was to make the steel mill functional as the first beneficiary  of running the steel mill would be the people working there.

Referring to the removal of encroachments, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah commented that action was being taken for removal of the encroachments on the orders of the Supreme Court, he added that operation against encroachment was continued in all districts of Karachi division including district East, West  and Malir and so far more than four thousand acres of valuable land has been vacated.

He said 1200 acres of land have been retrieved in Malir district only and its report has also been submitted to the Supreme Court. While divulging into the matter he mentioned that if anyone had a stay order of court, no action would have been taken against him and added the Chief Justice of Pakistan had canceled many stay orders.

Referring to illegal activities he said that the land was leased for 30 years for dairy, poultry and agriculture farming. But big constructions were made illegally and commercial activities were continued. While mentioning the recruitment test for Malir Development Authority, he remarked that the people working in the authority were removed on the orders of the court and test was also conducted for new recruitment on the orders of the court. “

Sindh Minister Nasir Hussain Shah also remarked that, “We have received a lot of complaints about the recruitment test. We are checking to find a legal way out.”

He said if these complaints were true, the test results would be canceled and new recruitment test would be announced.