HYDERABAD, Aug 16: The Sindh government has been asked to adjust employees of Dadu and Thatta sugar mills, placed in ‘surplus pool’, clear their dues and salaries, including of retired and expired employees within 15 days.

The demand was made by the All Pakistan Trade Unions Organisation (APTUO) which threatened to stage a protest demonstration and hunger strike outside the Karachi Press Club on Sept 3, if the demands were not met.

The organisation’s secretary-general Ghulam Sarwar Chandio, divisional general secretary Mohammad Ashraf Rajput, and general secretary of Dadu Sugar Mills Employees Union Allah Bachayo Panhwar, while addressing a news conference at the press club reminded the Sindh government of its promise to resolve their issues which was yet not honoured.

Workers of these sugar mills and their families were living in abject poverty for more than 10 years, they said.

The Dadu and Thatta sugar mills began production in 1978 and 1979, respectively, under the Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation which later were handed over to the Sindh Sugar Corporation, said the leaders.

They alleged that corrupt and inefficient officers destroyed the mills. There were 1,200 workers in Thatta sugar mills when closed in 1995, and 1,069 in Dadu when this mill was shut down during 1998-99 crushing season.

Employees were denied even the salaries for which they resorted to protest and were baton charged along with their children on May 10, 2006 outside the Karachi Press Club, they said and added many were arrested after five days while protesting outside the Chief Minister House.

They said following a dialogue at the Chief Minister House, it was agreed to adjust all employees in other departments along with payment of their salaries up to May 15, 2006. There was another understanding that the employees seeking retirement will be paid dues with the process to be completed in a month they said.

An order in this regard was issued on July 27, 2006, but only grade 1-4 employees were absorbed in other departments while others were yet not given alternate jobs, they said.