ISLAMABAD: Senator Sherry Rehman, Vice President of the Pakistan People’s Party and Parliamentary Leader of the PPP in the Senate, has strongly condemned the government’s decision to close Utility Stores, describing it as a “regrettable and cruel move that betrays the poor and violates commitments made to employees.”
“The Utility Stores were a public gift from Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, envisioned as a pro-people initiative to provide relief in times of hardship. They were not just shops, but a symbol of ZAB’s welfare vision. At a time when inflation has reached unbearable levels, shutting down Utility Stores is nothing less than open hostility towards the people,” she stressed in a statement on Thursday.
Senator Sherry Rehman criticised the government for withdrawing subsidies and depriving citizens of affordable essential goods while claiming to provide relief. “Instead of easing the burden on households, the government is making their lives even more difficult. The poor and middle class are being crushed under the weight of rising costs, and now even the last refuge of subsidised Utility Stores has been snatched away,” she added.
Highlighting the plight of the employees, Senator Sherry Rehman noted that thousands of Utility Stores workers have been left without salaries or financial security. “The government announced a financial package on August 31, but no practical steps have been taken. Salaries have not been paid from April to August, which is a shocking display of apathy. Mere announcements are not enough—failure to deliver is the worst form of state-level betrayal of trust,” she remarked.
Senator Sherry Rehman termed the decision “inhumane,” pointing out that more than 11,000 employees have been terminated without any safety net or compensation package. She said that this reckless approach not only deepens unemployment but also exposes the insensitivity of the state towards its own citizens.