KARACHI: Over 17,000 Christian workers and pensioners of the civic agencies had not been paid advance salary, therefore they would not be able to celebrate their religious festival Easter (to be observed on Sunday) properly, said the workers’ union on Friday.

The court would be moved against the government inattention, it said.

Condemning the non-payment of salary and pension to Christian workers, All Pakistan Local Government Workers Federation leader and KMC Sajjan (CBA) Union chief Zulfiqar Shah said the government had not only hurt the feelings of the workers, but also failed to follow the agreements signed with the union. It also violated court orders, he pointed out.

Mr Shah said the union and KMC etc, had agreements and the Sindh High Court had also directed that workers be paid salaries/pensions in time so that they could celebrate their religious festivals.

He said that two festivals each — Eidul Fitr and Eidul Azha of the Muslims, Diwali and Holi of the Hindus, and Christmas and Easter of the Christians — had been identified for early payments.

He said that some time ago at the time of Holi, the Hindu workers were paid their salaries/pensions on the last day, which was of no use as they did not get enough time for festival-related shopping.

Mr Shah said that next week the union would file a contempt of court application in the high court against the government’s anti-worker attitude of not making the agreed payments to the workers.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2017