KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Thursday demanded immediate payment of Rs25 billion dues to the retired employees of Karachi’s municipal bodies, which have been pending since 2017, and warned of staging a protest outside CM House if the provincial government failed to fulfil their demand.

Addressing a press conference, senior party leader Dr Farooq Sattar said that under the 18th Amendment, paying the dues was the responsibility of the chief minister, who must immediately ensure the payment.

He referred to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation, Karachi Development Authority and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation which owed Rs6bn to their employees.

He also questioned the spending of Rs25bn, which had been consistently deducted from the employees’ salaries, but never been paid to them. An investigation into the matter is necessary, he added.

“Karachi contributes 95 per cent to the country’s economy, yet the people here continue to face persistent injustice,” he said.

“The MQM Pakistan has always raised its voice for the rights of the employees and they stand with the retired employees. We demand the Sindh government to play its role in providing relief to the citizens during the month of Ramadan,” he said.

“We demand the chief minister immediately pay the retired employees’ dues, or else the MQM-P will hold a peaceful protest outside CM House with the retired employees. The MQM will not rest until the issues are resolved,” Dr Sattar vowed.

Flanked by senior party leader Nasreen Jalil, Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi, Parliamentary Leader Iftikhar Alam and members of the Sindh Assembly, Dr Sattar also expressed concerns over the worsening law and order situation, with rising incidents of robberies and highway crimes, and urged the government to pay immediate attention to this.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2025