PESHAWAR: Scores of employees of a German pharmaceutical company have demanded of the country’s embassy in Pakistan to ensure disbursal of severance payments to them as they had remained associated with the firm for a long time.

The demand was raised by the workers during a protest demonstration on the Sher Shah Suri Road outside the Peshawar Press Club on Saturday.

The protesters while carrying banners and placards shouted slogans in favour of their demands.

Talking to reporters on the occasion, the workers said they had served with the pharmaceutical company, Merck, for several years and boosted its business in the region.

The multinational company, they said had now sold its 75 per cent shares to another company, thus winding up its operations in Pakistan.

The company has totally ignored us in provision of severance pay in the shape of golden handshake as done by other multinational companies, they lamented.

We have served with the company for a long time, with many of our friends worked as managers in the firm. But, now our future is uncertain as we have become overage and won’t get any job, they feared.

The protesters told reporters that when a multinational pharmaceutical company sold its shares to other firm, it provided benefits and 48 to 60 salaries to its staff members and employees, depending on their service duration.

However, they lamented that the company with which they severed only gave them two years job surety which was next to nil.

They pointed out that the German company had sold its shareholding in Pakistan after 54 years of successful and profitable operation.

They said in recent past nine pharmaceutical companies had abandoned their operations after payment of severance to their employees, but in case of Merck 2,200 highly qualified employees had been handed over to another company only on two-year contractual employment.

The company, they said had even not cleared the deductions made from their salary under the Employees Old-Age Benefit Institute.

They demanded of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan and other concerned authorities to take action for protection of their rights.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2016