ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday directed the Sindh High Court (SHC) to submit details of pending cases regarding Workers Welfare Fund (WWF).
A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprised Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah heard the case.
During the course of proceedings, the counsel for the Punjab government pleaded the court to grant time for return of Rs172 billion to workers’ welfare fund.
The court had sought detailed report on workers’ welfare funds from all the provinces.
The court also sought details regarding refund of WWF’s Rs1.75 billion.
The court said around 8,000 houses built with the funds were still vacant.
The court also sought report about houses with photographs.
The court also asked how many factories were working in Punjab and how many workers were employed in factories on next date of hearing?
The advocate general Sindh said there were 219 cases pending in the SHC and hearing was scheduled for March 16.
The WWF also submitted report and said Rs4.88 billion rupees had been given.
The chief justice asked where did this money go?
The additional attorney general said the money went to the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and transferred to the national exchequer.
The court asked that had anyone seen this money being transferred to real people?
He said there was an authority in WWF.
The chief justice asked how Punjab’s Rs1.90 billion were transferred to the Azad Kashmir.
The director Punjab Workers Welfare said worker’s children study all over the country.
Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan asked how Rs630 million were transferred to the Preston University without certification. The Preston University was not even registered, he added.
The chief justice said there were millions of workers in Punjab why the money was being spent on only 2,153.
Later, hearing of the case was adjourned for one month.
Meanwhile, the apex court adjourned the hearing of the case regarding Gun and Country Club Islamabad over non availability of three-member bench for one week.
