Lay off plan of 450 PTDC regular employees finalised

RAWALPINDI: The members of Board of Governors of Associated Hotels of Pakistan (AHP), Pakistan Tours Limited (PTL) and PTDC Motels North (pvt) Ltd and Flashman’s Hotel has decided to close their respective companies besides laying off their employees with immediate effect in view of their present positions and prevailing COVID-19 situation.

However, final decision in this regard would be taken in today’s (Thursday) BoG meeting to be reportedly chaired by Chairman National Tourism Coordination Board (NTCB).

According to credible sources in the PTDC and its motels, the meetings of BoG were held recently which expressed serious concerns on the state of affairs and continued accumulation of liabilities, non-payment of salaries to the employees and non-availability of a viable source to clear them.

The BoG meetings was chaired by Syed Intikhab Alam, Managing Director PTDC, and Chairman of Board, Ali Akbar Malik, General Manager (Audit/Motels) and Board Director, besides other members.

In view of the decisions taken by the BoG members, a state of uncertainty and tensions besides unrest has mounted among the employees of PTDC, Flashman’s Hotels, AHP and PTL which all include serving on regular basis.

However, the modus operandi of clearing the dues of the workers has not been given in proceedings of the meetings of BoG. Reliable sources told that the BoG members have decided to layoff companies’ employees by paying three basic salaries to themwithout clearing their dues of provident fund and gratuity.

The employees have appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the BoGdecision and come to their rescue by directing the BoG members not to lay off services of workers numbering around 450 regular employees, otherwise, it would be an economic killing of theirs. Talking over the issue, President of PTDC Employees Union (CBA) Majid Yaqoob expressed concern on decision of terminating the services of 450 regular employees. He along with other union representatives as well as employees also expressed grave concern over non-payment of dues of provident fund and gratuity to them along with their termination. He proposed that the employees instead of being terminated could have been accommodated in various sections of Punjab Tourism Department. Majid Yaqoob told that the decision to lay off all permanent staff was taken in 2019 and was to be enforced by January 31, 2020.

However, the PTDC took the case in NIRC and Peshawar High Court and obtained stay order against the decision. He said that case of stay order is still in the PHC. Till the verdict by PHC, the services of employees could not be terminated. When this correspondent approached PTDC Manager Baber Malik, he expressed unawareness when the decision of laying off employees would be enforced. “I have no idea at all in this regard and have to collect details on it,” he said.