ISLAMABAD: Taking notice of alleged persecution of sanitary workers in the country, the Supreme Court issued directives to all the departments of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Gilgit-Baltistan and provincial governments to pay their outstanding dues and pension within two days.
A five-member bench led by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justices Mushir Alam, Sardar Tariq Masood, Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed also ruled that under the constitutional provisions, executive authority of the federation shall stand extended to giving directions to the provinces in order to prevent the outbreak of pandemic COVID-19.
Citing Samuel Payara, Chairman Implementation Committee of Minority Rights Forum, in the order the bench said that Payara has apprised the court about sanitary staff in the province of Sindh, particularly of Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA.). It said the workers have not been provided protective gears, nor have they been paid their salaries for about nine months and sanitary staff employed by the contractors are in the worst condition.
According to Samuel Payara, pension to the retired sanitary staff is not being paid whereas sanitary staff in governments of Punjab, KP, I.C.T. and G.B was also facing the same miseries.
To which, principal law officer of the country and chief law officers of all the provinces assured the court that grievance of the sanitary staff will be specifically and seriously redressed by the relevant government officials.
They said that all sort of protective gears shall be provided to sanitary staff within a week positively.
Besides, salaries of all the sanitary staff shall be paid by all the governments/local governments, adding that pension of the sanitary staff shall also be paid in full within two days.
Through its written order the top court plainly said that in case contractors fail to pay dues to sanitary workers in two days then it would be the responsibility of the governments to do so.
