HARIPUR: The local industrialists, traders and labour representatives have expressed their concern over the merging of zonal office of Workers Welfare Board (WWB) into the provincial headquarter of Peshawar and warned of protest if the decision was not rescinded.

Through three different letters addressed to the secretary labour, who is also chairman of WWB Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, chairman Hattar Industrialists Association Malik Ashiq Awan, president Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tayab Khan Swati and general secretary Hazara Labour Federation Tahir Amin have opposed the decision.

They stated that Haripur was currently housing the second biggest industrial zone of the country with over 500 functional and more than 1,000 units were at developing stage at Hattar Economic Zone, Hattar Special Economic zone (also called China zone) and Ghazi Economic zone.

They said that there were thousands of male and female workers engaged in the manufacturing process who frequently visited the zonal office for death and marriage grants, education grants, talent scholarship of their children, allotment of residential quarters and flats in the labour colonies.

“With the abolition of this facility the workers would be bound to visit provincial headquarter Peshawar even for minor issues which would not only burden them economically but also expose them to wastage of time and resources,” said Tahir Amin, general secretary Hazara Labour Federation.

Mohammad Tayab Khan Swati, president HCCI, termed the decision unjustifiable and tantamount to creating hardships by the WWB. Malik Ashiq Awan, chairman Hattar Industrialists Association, said that instead of increasing the staff and bringing more facilities to the workers, the WWB’s decision of closing the Haripur zonal office was devoid of reason.

He said the Industrialists, labor unions and HCCI would protest at every forum if the decision was not reversed.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2024