HYDERABAD, May 24: An amount of over Rs140 million was distributed among 1,559 ex-employees of the Sindh Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) by the EDO revenue, Mr Shakeel Naqvi, here on Friday.

The government had released over Rs250 million for disbursement of dues among the ex-employees.

The cheques distributed on Friday related to the gratuity only and were handed over to them on signing of an undertaking by each of the recipient.

The remaining payments as full and final settlement on account of retirement dues and golden handshake will be made from June 10 to 12 after verification/audit by a chartered accountant appointed by the Sindh government.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the ex-employees’ Action Committee, Syed Ahmed Ali Shah, Hazoor Bux Qambrani, Haji Ghulam Muhammad Depar and others, while addressing the workers outside the press club here, thanked the Zila Nazim, Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman, for his efforts in getting the payment for the workers.

They, however, made it absolutely clear that although they had signed the undertaking, they will not surrender the mark-up on their outstanding dues as mentioned in the written agreement signed between the provincial government and the workers’ representatives on Dec 6, 1999.

They said that they reserved the right to seek a remedy from the competent court of law to get the remaining legal dues.

APP adds: The Executive District Officer (Revenue), Hyderabad, Shakeel Haider Naqvi, visited the striking ex-employees of SRTC near the press club on Friday. He asked all those on hunger strike, for the last 81 days in different batches, to accompany him. He led them to the treasury office and handed over cheques to them.