USC employees sit-in continues

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister Abdul Razzaq Dawood also failed to convince the protesting employees of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) to end their sit-in as he held negotiations with them for a long time.

The government has requested the USC employees to call off the sit-in immediately and assured to issue a proper notification about acceptance of all demands today (Thursday). But, the protesters did not agree and said that they will call off the sit-in after issuance of notification about acceptance of their demands.

The sit-in entered the fourth day on Wednesday and the employees decided to continue the protest until a written notification of acceptance of all demands was issued by the government. All utility stores throughout the country are closed for the last five days while poor consumers depending on government-run stores are facing difficulties.

The All Pakistan Utility Stores Corporation Union President Rafiq Qureshi and Senior Vice President Malik Muhammad Ameer told The News that Abdul Razzaq Dawood is only insisting to call off sit-in immediately, but not issuing any kind of notification about acceptance of employees’ demands. The USC employees have been protesting against an anticipated privatisation of the corporation and in favour of their demands.