NEP vows to fight for engineers rights

ISLAMABAD: The National Engineers Pakistan (NEP), a body formed to raise voice for engineers concerns, on Saturday claimed to go all out for ensuring this segment’s rights to stop their main drain for a greater national interest.

The body’s Patron in-Chief Engr Abdul Qadir Shah, going to contest Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) upcoming elections, said every year some10, 000 Engineers enter in country’s job market while market absorbs only 2,000. The number of jobless engineers was currently touching to 50,000, adding some 8,000 annually to the figure, he added. He underlining the need to create more jobs said, the body if mandated would organize job fairs and not allow foreign companies to get registered in PEC without joint ventures with local firms to ensure local engineers’ rights are not compromised.

He also claimed to ensure enforcement of 30 percent quota for engineers in China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects at management cadre.

Terming young engineers’ architect of the future, he said he would create reserved seats in PEC governing body especially for female in the lager interest of the community.

He also expressed his dismay and admitted that the engineers were being exploited by the private sector and they were not being paid reasonable salaries and he would fight for a minimum Rs40, 000 per month remuneration to them.

Engr Abdul Qadir also hinted to launch housing schemes, build clubs and academies for this community in big cities for their maximum facilitation.

Engineering departments, he deplored, were being run by people of irrelevant cadres which was also tantamount to justice affecting genuine engineers rights. This practice will be hampered.

Meanwhile, Engr Ehtasham Attari, said the community was since long lacking a platform where all issues pertaining to engineers be addressed and resolved.

He appreciated the initiatives of Engr Abdul Qadir, made during his previous tenure especially biometric voting system, engineers’ appearance in person for induction in any construction company, job fairs, signing accords with international engineering bodies in the larger interest for this neglected workforce.

Another Engr Ahmed Raza hoped the NEP would fulfill its promises as it was well conversant with the current and issues to emerge in future.

He appreciated the move of inducting young engineers’ in PEC’s governing body on reserved seats which would help address their concerns more appropriately.