August 6, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-us-Sani 7, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: The National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) will announce its verdict on holding of referendum in Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday, a source in the Authority told Dawn.

The source said the Commission could not hear the case in Karachi on Tuesday and adjourned the hearing till Wednesday.

CDA’s deputy director labour relations filed the appeal with the NIRC judge Zakaullah Khaki.

An official of the CDA told the Commission that the employees of the Authority were working only in the capital area. However, only those unions having nationwide network could be registered with the NIRC.

He said if workers of any government department were working at least in two provinces, their unions could be registered with the NIRC and they could hold a referendum. On the other hand, the office-bearers of the CDA employees unions informed the Commission that the Authority was carrying on some of its projects in Murree, Gulehrah Gali (Punjab province) and Khanpur area (NWFP) and a number of its employees were working with these projects, therefore, the registration of the CDA unions with the NIRC was legal and justified.

Three groups of CDA employees unions have announced their panels for the referendum, which are likely to be held on July 20. All the three employees unions including CDA Employees Federation (Dogar group), CDA Mazdoor Union (Ch Yasin group) and CDA Employees Union (Pasha group) have set up their election offices at various places in Islamabad.

The total number of the CDA employees is stated to be 9,000. However, it was 14,000 when first referendum was held in the authority in 1976. The CDA Employees Federation (Dogar group) is a merger of CDA Labour Union and CDA Staff Union. The group is reportedly backed by Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians.

The CDA Mazdoor Union (Ch Yasin group) claims that it enjoys the support of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q. However, the CDA Employees Union (Pasha group) has announced the support of PML-Q and Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal.