Action sought against company for sacking labourers

MANSEHRA: Former Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MPA Mazhar Ali Qasim has demanded the government to take legal action against the company working on Suki Kinari hydropower project as he said it laid off hundreds of labourers in the garb of Covid-19.

“The government has announced that no commercial entity or company could lay off labourers during the Covid-19 emergency but the company executing this mega energy project laid off hundreds of labourers, depriving them of food and basic necessities,” Qasim told reporters after meeting a group affected labourers in Balakot on Saturday.

He said that people of Balakot tehsil welcomed building of 860 megawatt Suki Kinari hydropower project at River Kunhar in Kaghan valley but the company executing the projects flouted labour laws and laid off labourers unlawfully.

“We want the government to take action against chief executive of the company concerned, otherwise people of Balakot would also join labourers in their protests,” he added.