ISLAMABAD: Chairman, Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP), Riaz Memon, on Thursday stated that would resign if he’s pressurized on the issue of employees’ salaries.
He expressed his anger at a meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Commerce presided over by Syed Naveed Qamar.
Chairman TCP was summoned for not increasing salaries of employees and transferring those who are members of the union.
Syed Naveed Qamar noted that employees who were on strike have been issued show cause notices.
The Chairman TCP clarified that two different committees of the TCP have observed that the existing pay and allowances of TCP employees are already on the higher side. The retirement benefit (gratuity) admissible to TCP employees is not confined to the basic pay but is on the basis of gross salary which includes allowances as well. As such the overall financial impact of the proposed ad hoc relief allowances/revision of scales of the preceding years would be significant. The adhoc allowance/revision of scales previously allowed in case of the staff for the years 2016-17 and 2017-18 being irregular should be stopped till regularization as per procedure prescribed by the Ministry of Finance.
The salaries of drivers and office boys are far higher than their colleagues in the Ministry and other departments, he maintained adding that on this issue he has already been snubbed by the then Secretary Commerce/now Secretary Cabinet, Sardar Ahmed Nawaz Sukhera.
The Chairman TCP stated that work is in progress for increase in salaries of the employees but the financial position of TCP, which is running on self-financing base, has to be taken into account.
He further contended that employees used abusive language which is not acceptable. “We are here to serve the country not to be abused,” he added.
When Chairman Standing Committee urged Chairman TCP to increase salaries of employees, the latter stated: “TCP is an independent organization, Committee should not dictate to me. I will tender my resignation if I am pressurized,” he added.
His remarks made Chairman Standing Committee angry, who loudly stated that if the Chairman is not ready to comply with the instructions of the committee, then he should leave the committee room.
“This is the parliament which is supreme and everyone is answerable to it. Leave the meeting if you are not ready to hear me,” said Naveed Qamar.
However, Secretary Commerce, Sualeh Faruqi, sought an apology for remarks by Chairman TCP gave.
Chairman Standing Committee directed Secretary Commerce to look into this issue personally.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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