PSM given a month to pay retired workers

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday directed the Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) to pay gratuities and other outstanding dues to more than 850 of its retired employees within a month.

The directive came on a petition filed by Syed Umar Baqi and 850 other workers who moved the SHC against non-payment of their gratuities, leaves encashment and provident funds since May 2013.

Their counsel, Haseeb Jamali, told the court that PSM had leased Port Qasim’s land to the Punjab government for Rs1.48 billion, but the retired employees were yet to be paid their pension benefits and other dues. He said the PSM was not paying the outstanding amounts despite the court’s orders.

The PSM counsel had earlier submitted that the petitioners were eligible for retirement benefits and other dues, but the company had no funds left in its gratuity and provident fund accounts. He said the public accounts committee had already asked the government to make necessary arrangements to release Rs3.429 billion to pay gratuity to the PSM’s retired employees. He added that the PSM was in touch with the Ministry of Industries & Production to resolve the issue of the retired employees.

The counsel of the ministry of industries, production and finance did not appear despite the court’s notice. The court directed the PSM to pay the gratuity and other outstanding funds to the retired employees and submit a compliance report by December 7.