KARACHI: The Pakistan Steel Mill’s (PSM) education department was set up in 1981 to provide quality educational faculties to the children of its employees. The PSM administration established around 13 educational institutes at that time including five primary schools, five high schools and three colleges. Initially, around 100 employees were appointed in the education department included teachers, clerical and lower grade. Afterwards, due to high enrollment the administration hired 550 employees on contract basis. During 1992-3, when Major Gen (R) Sabeeh Qamar Uzzaman was the chairman of Pakistan Steel, the education department was running under the Pakistan Steel’s Administration and Personnel (A&P). The contractual employees of education department were also treated like permanent employees because Pakistan Steel has provided them the entire facilities including residence in Steel Town, free education for their children, medical facility and other incentives. These prevailing conditions had remained the same and continued since 2004 for the contractual employees somehow. In 2004, Lieutenant General (Retd) Abdul Qayyum was appointed as the chairman of Pakistan Steel Mills. He laid down the foundation of Hadeed Welfare Trust, in which four departments were included medical, education, transport and Township at that time. In 2008, the prevailing conditions for the contractual employees were remained same however the administration stopped providing of incentives and facilities to them. Anyhow in the same year, the then prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani had issued a notification for the federally subsidiaries including Pakistan Steel Mills, in which he ordered that the all those workers who are working on daily wages and contract basis, gradually they will be accommodated as permanent employees. The Hadeed Welfare Trust (HWT) and members of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) initiated table talk on the issue regarding the temporary employees of Pakistan Steel’s education department but they did not reach any significant conclusion. Afterwards, HWT and CBA agreed on memorandum of understanding that medical department, township department, and transport department excluding education department will be running directly under the administration of Pakistan Steel Mills again. Amazingly, The HWT was established in 2004 but it was registered several years later. The HWT’s board of directors is inclusive chairman of Pakistan Steel Mill, Director Finance, Director Administration and Personnel. The Chairman of Pakistan Steel Mills is also the Chairman of HWT. In 2011, around 100 contract employees of the education department, who were working in the department for many years, filed a petition in Sindh High Court. The law suit was against the administration of Pakistan Steel and HWT. It was aimed to clear their employment position in the light of PM’s notification. The SHC had issued orders in favour of contractual employees and HWT had declared fake also in October 2012. After the SHC decision, 100 employees of lower cadre like gardener, security guards, and primary schools teacher had appointed on permanent basis by the administration of Pakistan Steel Mills. The upper cadre of employees like principal, vice principal and admin officers were left in same status of contractual employment because it was explained in the PM’s notification that up to the grade 15 contract employees will be considerable for the permanent employment. Despite the upper grade contractual employees had submitted an affidavit, in which they were agreed to appoint them below 15 grades. Anyhow, both the administration of Pakistan Steel and HWT neglected their application and affidavits. After this, the upper cadre contractual employees had also filed a petition in SHC, which has ruled in favour of them on 15 Jan, 2017. Now the administration of Pakistan Steel Mills and HWT has appealed to the Supreme Court against the High Court. While around 15 cases are under hearing in SHC in this connection. Abdul Sattar Lashari is one of the contractual teachers in the education department of Pakistan Steel Mills. He is working in education as vice principal since 1994. He says “we are educating children of the Pakistan Steel’s workers and officers but the administration targeting those who teach their children”. He added that administration of Pakistan Steel Mills is hostage in the hands of CBA because the voters of CBA are only permanent employees therefore CBA is also not taking their issue seriously. They are also contractual employees and have no right of vote; resulting CBA also ignores to resolve their issue. He said that two of the three children of CBA members are studying without payment that’s why they are quite. When they approached the administration for the increment in the salaries, they answered to earn more money. “Our students have achieved positions in metric and intermediate board because we are providing quality education but administration treated us like conductors and drivers”, he further said. “I am working in shopping mall at evening because my salary (Rs9,000) is not enough. I have been teaching for last 20 years. I hoped that the administration will give us a permanent position one day”, Ghulam Sarwar, a senior teacher told adding that now the situation becoming worse and the administration itself wanted a dark future of their children. He said that he has the facilities of residence and free education for his children but his low salary created many issues for him. He is struggling for his permanent status of employment in education department of Pakistan Steel Mills. Muhammad Yaseen Samo said “after the set up of HWT all the contractual employees are deprived of basic facilities like medical, provident fund, Employees Old-Age Benefits and other. When we approached the HWT they answered that you are a private employee despite the fact that I have spent 21 years of my life for serving the education department of Pakistan Steel Mills”. He says HWT was founded for the welfare of employees and HWT has also the same management but Pakistan Steel Mills administration does not consider them employees. He pointed out that the education department is among the departments that earn. He said that 5500 students have been enrolled in the 13 educational institutes running under the Pakistan Steel Mills and majority of them are coming from nearby areas, who are not the children of Pakistan Steel’s employees. Sayed Haider Shah, a resident of Steel Town and Employee of Pakistan Steel said “Now quality of education is falling down because a fresh Master Degree holder in science will never accept a job against Rs8000 salary. The earlier appointed teachers are disappointed as they have not treated as they have wished”. “Earlier people were waiting for the enrollment of their children in education department of Pakistan Steel Mills but now furniture has not been purchased for schools and colleges since 2007. Ghalam Shabbir, an admin officer told Daily Times that they are resolving the issue of teachers on priority basis but many cases are pending with SHC. Replying a question, he said that administration cannot take decision regarding the status of the contractual teachers who have been teaching for years. Therefore they are forced to go to courts for justice. He said that the chairman has the authority to comment on the issue and if he wants he can upgrade the system of education department.