Senate Body For Streamlining Administrative Affairs Of PSM, Resolving Issues Of Employees

The Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production was informed on Wednesday that the appointment of CEO of Pakistan Steel Mills and the constitution of new Board of Directors was on cards as the process in the regard was near completion

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Aug, 2023 ) :The Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production was informed on Wednesday that the appointment of CEO of Pakistan Steel Mills and the constitution of new Board of Directors was on cards as the process in the regard was near completion.

The Committee met with Khalida Ateeb in the Chair at Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and was attended by members of the Committee Senator Fida Muhammad, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada and Senator Imam ud Din Shouqeen.

Joint Secretary Ministry of Industries and Production Naveed Ahsan and members of the functional committee formed to run affairs of the PSM, briefed the Committee about the rehabilitation of PSM, position of retrenchment of employees, privatization plan, township area, encroachments and security issues.

The Committee, stressing on the need of revival of Pakistan, directed to streamline the administrative affairs and resolve the issues of employees.

Chairperson Khalida Ateeb raised the issue of security and reported incidents of theft of installations and expressed concerns over performance of the security department that employed over 500 employees.

The Committee also sought a comprehensive report on alleged incidents of theft of installations and assets of Pakistan Steel Mills causing loses to PSM and the national exchequer amounting to billions.

Senator Fida Muhammad maintained that the largest industrial complex of the country had resources of the nation in its foundation and measures were required to resume its operations.

Expressing dissatisfaction on performance of the PSM management he called for resolving the issues of all the employees on priority and the report the Committee about progress in the regard.

The Committee directed the PSM administration to submit Audit Reports for the year 2021-22, Financial details of the revenue and annual expenditure, serving employees, and Privatization procedure as well as matters of Township residential area to the committee at the earliest.

Despite of operational closure of PSM, there were total 3200 employees working in various functional sections of the industrial entity and the government was providing more than Rs.

110 million for their net salaries. Required funds for retrenchment of employees were also released by the government, he added.

The Committee was informed that PSM was solely dependent on national exchequer and all the expenses were borne by the government. To generate revenue and under some policy for industrial growth over 1500 acres of PSM land was leased to private sector for setting up industries and Bin Qasim Industrial Park that attracted FDI and joint ventures from abroad.

Senator Imam ud Din Shouqeen noted that Board of Directors was non-functional and its chairman was out of country for over a year. He asked the management to submit a plan for the rehabilitation of PSM by resuming its operation and other means and any probable strategy other than the privatization of the mills.

The employment opportunities could only be created through industrialization as the government alone could not achieve the task, he stated and added that the Committee was keen to resolve the issues of PSM and willing to play a proactive role for the objectives.

The Committee's Chairperson specially allowed the representatives of the employee including officers and labour to present their issues and grievances before the committee. They said that employees were facing various issues including low salaries, non-provision of annual increase, health, education and other facilities while certain issues relating to retrenchment and reinstatement orders of National Assembly's Special Committee chaired by Abdul Qadir Mandokhel taken to courts by management though those could be settled by dialogue.

Senator Khilada Ateeb assured the employees that they would be taken on board about decisions and the initiative for the rehabilitation of PSM.

The Committee was briefed that there were around 3700 residential units of different categories in Township area- the residential colony owned and operated by the Steel mills- and those were provided to serving or retired employees of PSM while 345 units were also rented out to private persons.

The Committee was also informed that around 300 acres of the land were under encroachment and measures were taken to remove them and 95 acres were vacated from the squatters.