Sacked employees of PTDC warn of protest

MANSEHRA: The sacked employees of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) on Thursday threatened to stage protest against what they said illegal act of the federal government.

“Over 300 employees of corporation’s three subsidiaries have been laid off by the federal government citing economic mess caused by coronavirus, which is unacceptable to us and we will launch protest drive against this biased order,” Tariq Zaman, a leader of employees, told reporters in Balakot.

A group of terminated employees told reporters that over 300 employees, including 150 from Hazara division, were sacked by the Acting Managing Director Intikhab Alam on Wednesday. “Our case is already pending before the Peshawar High Court but even then the acting MD terminated our services, which is a contempt of court,” said Tariq Zaman. Another employee, Gauhar Aman, said that it was an injustice that all employees were terminated without any prior notices and without any financial benefits. “With this biased act of acting managing director, motels situated in Balakot, Naran and Ayubia are left without caretakers and custodian but we will never hand them over to the corporation,” he added.

He said that they would shortly announce to hold protests in Balakot, Mansehra, Abbottabad and Ayubia.

The PTDC through a circular a day earlier ordered closure of its three subsidiaries, motels, Pakistan tours limited and hotels and terminated services of the employees with an immediate effect.