MITHI: A large number of workers recently sacked by a mining firm and their relatives took out a rally and staged a demonstration at Engro Roundabout near Islamkot on Wednesday in protest against the retrenchment.

The protesters’ leaders Ghulam Rasool Vikyo, Jadim Mehranpoto, Mashooq Ali and others told media persons that the mining firm engaged in coal extraction in block 1 of Thar coalfields had sacked as many as 150 workers a few weeks back without serving any notices on them.

They said the sacked workers were mostly drivers. On the one hand locals were being deprived of jobs while on other hand the same companies were hiring people who belonged to other districts and provinces in violation of commitments made with locals before carrying out coal extraction in the area, they said.

They said the companies were not even ready to pay severance and other dues to the sacked workers and vowed to continue the protest till their demands were met.

They demanded the Sindh government take notice of the protest and ask officials of the mining firm to stop meting out step-motherly treatment to locals.

Assistant commissioner of Islamkot, said that they had already formed a committee to resolve the issue by holding talks with officials of mining firms. He had already informed Tharparkar deputy commissioner of the issues of sacked workers, he added.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2021