BAHAWALPUR: On the intervention of the Multan office of the federal ombudsman, over 100 daily wagers of the Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) were paid their wages of the previous months by their contractor amounting to Rs5m.

This was stated by Wafaqi Mohtasib Director General Media Abdul Majeed Niazi.

Talking to Dawn by cell phone, he said Muhammad Zahid, the senior investigating officer (IRD) of Wafaqi Mohtasib Office, Multan, intervened to ensure payment of five months’ salary to the Mepco daily-wage workers.

The press release said Muhammad Zeeshan, a daily wager along with 33 others lodged a complaint against Ali Azam Enterprises, a contractor of Mepco, claiming that the contractor did not pay their wages for the last five months.

The complaint was processed under the informal resolution of disputes (IRD) through mediation between a representative of Mepco and the contractor, Riaz Ahmad, under Wafaqi Mohtasib mechanism.

The contractor admitted that the workers were not paid and pledged that wages to all the workers of DG Khan, Kot Chatha and Rajanpur Mepco Division would be paid by June 26.

On June 27, a representative of the Ali Azam Enterprises appraised the Wafaqi Mohtasib office that pending wages of more than 100 daily wagers had been paid and their grievances had been addressed.

Mr Zeeshan, a representative of the complainants, also endorsed the version of the agency that their wages had been paid before Eidul Azha.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2023