LAHORE: Over a dozen contract employees of Punjab Saaf Pani Company have approached the Lahore High Court against their termination from job.

Amjad and 15 others filed a petition pleading that the company removed 132 employees on the pretext of financial crunch.

They say the company violated the conditions of the employment contract by terminating their services. They argue that they were appointed on project posts and their services could not be terminated till the completion of the project. They said a huge budget had been allocated for the company and the chunk of the amount had not been terminated, therefore, the act of the respondent authorities appeared to be a mockery of law.

They submitted the embezzlement of public funds at the Saaf Pani Company was reported by a section of media and matter of huge salaries drawn by senior officials of the company also came under light. They said taking pressure from the media reports the respondent authorities in a bid to show their concern with public money made them (petitioners) scapegoat by way of terminating their services.

The petitioners plead that their termination was against the right to fair trial protected under Article 10-A of the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2018