12 February 2004	Thursday	20 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 11: Almost all the departments at the KWSB head office, adjacent to the Civic Centre, remained closed on Wednesday when some emotionally-charged employees resorted to a noisy protest over the death of an employee's wife allegedly due to the delay in the issuance of the requisite medical advice to the hospital concerned.

Sources said that Mr Qaiser Hussain, an employee in the KWSB's meter division, informed his colleagues that his wife had been admitted to the Liaquat National Hospital a few days back but died after Eid because, according to him, the concerned KWSB officials did not issue the medical advice promptly.

The document is issued as an undertaking that the organization would bear all the expenses to be incurred on the treatment of an entitled employee or his dependents.

Mr Hussain's grief drew sympathy among his colleagues but the concerned officials' apathy also provoked a number of them who left their seats and assembled in front of the offices of several senior officials. The employees raised slogans holding the concerned officials responsible for the death of the woman by causing delay in the routine matter of issuing a medical advice.

Lashing out at the KWSB's management for not providing proper medical facilities to the low-paid employees, the protesting employees indicated that while senior KWSB officers had been receiving best medical facilities and all the required equipment were being provided to them at their doorsteps, the low-paid employees were being made to go from pillar to post even for cheapest medicines.

They strongly criticized the discrimination and demanded of the management to refrain from the ill-treatment being meted out to the low-paid employees. They warned of a protest campaign if such atrocities against them and their dependents continued.

They urged the management to simplify the procedure of availing proper medical facilities. Due to the protest, most of the sections of the KWSB head office remained closed in the afternoon and general public, visiting the offices in connection with their water bills or other work, had to return without getting their work done.