Another sit-in to be staged at D-Chowk from today

Islamabad: The Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has decided to shut down all stores throughout the country and stage a sit- in here at D-Chowk, Islamabad from today (Monday).

Muthida Majlis-e-Ammal (MMA) Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman has assured USC workers of his full support during the sit-in. He has assured USC workers of joining them during the sit-in at D-Chowk.

The Utility Stores Corporation (USC), the country’s biggest state-run retail chain, urged the government to settle Rs27.6 billion worth of its subsidy claims pending for the last seven years, which is creating financial crunch for the company. The USC department is near to close in this regard.

All Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation Union Senior Vice President Malik Muhammad Ameer told ‘The News’ that they will be staging ‘sit-in’ from today. “The sit-in will continue till the acceptance of our demands,” he said adding all utility stores throughout the country will remain shut from today till the acceptance of our demands.

He said that we are moving towards D-Chowk, Islamabad under the leadership of All Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation Union Chairman Arif Shah, President Rafiq Qureshi and General Secretary Waqar Chaudhry. “Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has decided to close USC department. We were expecting that PTI government will provide us relief and save the jobs of thousands of employees in USC department throughout the country but it is trying to crush us,” he denounced.

According to store managers, customers are regularly visiting in stores but turning back empty handed due to absence of stock. All food items including pulses, cooking oil, sugar, flour, soap, washing powder and several other items are not available in stores for months but nobody addressed the issue.