Daily Times

As many as 52 private security guards have not yet been paid their monthly salaries for the past four months. They have been posted to work at Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) by a private security company which obtained the contract from the CMCH. This came to light when the affected guards held a large protest demonstration at Jinnah Bagh Thursday and shouted slogans in favour of their just demand.

The protesters include Ghulam Qadir Panhwar, Nadim Magsi, Sanaullah Chandio, Liaquat Chandio, Akram Lashari, Muhammad Bux Junejo, Jamil Malgani, Imdad Magsi and others.

While talking to newsmen they alleged that they are working in two shifts instead of three at various wards and blocks of the CMCH to provide security to the duty doctors and paramedics but they are even denied actuarial monthly pay and the same has not even been paid to them since past four months in this worst poverty era due to which our family members have reached to starvation-like situation now. They said private security company’s supervisor Aijaz Ahmed has now informed them that they cannot be paid monthly salaries as the company has no funds hence we have been asked to serve without monthly pay. They said they were told at the very outset that Rs17000 will be paid to each security guard monthly but they are paid Rs10000 only which is unlawful and unethical as well. They said that they have made a complaint to the Sukkur office of the company and CMCH authorities but without any result so far.

They further claimed that they are neither given food, tea nor water during duty hours despite the fact that we reach CMCH to perform duties from far flung and remote areas of Larkana & Kambar-Shahdadkot districts. They further said that they boycotted their duties today to press the relevant authorities to clear our dues and ensure payment of our monthly salaries regularly on time. They also urged the relevant authorities to take notice of the issue so that salaries could be paid to them.

Credible sources at the CMCH told this Scribe that Sindh Government did not release 4th quarter of annual budget allocation of 2019-2020 for the purpose hence bills of the security company were not passed by the government treasury. These sources added that when the funds are released by the government then bills will be passed and the company will be paid the amount.