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KARACHI: The sit-in organised by workers of the National Programme for Implementation of Watercourses (NPIW), and backed by Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Information Secretary Marvi Memon, continued for a seventh day on Thursday outside the Karachi Press Club.

The protestors are demanding regularising their services, which had been terminated after the project was completed. The government, on its part, claimed that jobs generated were project-specific, and contract letters of the employees clearly mentioned that their jobs will cease to exist after the project concluded.

Millions were spent on the project in Sindh, which was initiated in April 2004 and completed in 2008. The project was also initiated in the other provinces, Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan, but the government maintained that the project was incomplete in Sindh, while it was completed on time in the other provinces. A senior government official said the performance of the employees was poor and substandard.

Memon, daughter of former minister, Nisar Memon, however, has been campaigning for the regularisation of NPIW workers, and has participated in the workers’ sit-in for the past six days.

Talking to media representatives, Memon said that she raised this issue in the National Assembly, and the prime minister even issued a directive to the authorities concerned for their regularisation.

A copy of the prime minister’s statement seeking a report from the Sindh government and directives to regularise the employees was also sent to Memon, but after a couple of months, she realised that no promises will be fulfilled.

“I was not taken seriously, given how the police used teargas on us near the CM House. They arrested many protesters, while the Sindh home minister or the CCPO did not even respond when I called them,” Memon said.

“I spoke to the prime minister, and he promised me again that he will direct the Sindh chief minister to regularise these employees. What is the purpose of the Assembly if this house cannot solve the problems of the people? I am totally disappointed with the assemblies and the system,” she said.

On the part of the Sindh government, the chief minister assigned two advisers, Waqar Mehdi and Rashid Rabbani, to negotiate with leaders of the protesting employees.

It was almost decided that a summary which has already been moved by the Sindh law minister for regularisation will be signed within a day or two, and the protest will come to an end on Friday night.
NPIW workers’ sit-in enters day 7