CHAGAI: Several political parties and locals based in Chagai district have criticised the Chinese company MCC Resource Development Limited (MRDL) for not granting leave to employees working on Saindak copper-cum-gold project since December last year.

In separate press releases, the spokesmen for National Party, Baloch Student Organisation Pajjar, Balochistan National Party-Mengal, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and former provincial minister Sakhi Amanullah Notezai said that the MRDL management had been violating international labour rules by exploiting the basic rights of workers at the Saindak project. The leaders blamed MRDL for making Covid-19 an excuse to meet its illicit goals.

They denounced the unlawful ban on the vacations for employees, saying some employees were not permitted leave despite urgent and necessary reasons.

They alleged that employees in Saindak were suffering owing to job insecurity, low salaries and harassment by Chinese and Pakistani officers.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2020