NewsFeb 03 , 2016
Qaim assures judicial probe into PIA workers’ killing
Says he’s ready to discuss workers’ viewpoint
with PM, announces Rs2m compensation for each
dead and Rs200,000 for each injured workerKARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Tuesday said the provincial government would hold a judicial investigation into the killing of two protesting employees of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Qaim said he was ready to take up the PIA protesting workers’ viewpoint with Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.“He (the PM) is kind enough and I am sure he will redress your genuine grievances,” the CM said during a meeting with the members of the joint action committee here.
He said sit-ins and protest were prone to creating a law and order situation in the port city, which had seen normalcy after a long period.The Joint Committee members said they were ready to talk to Federal Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Speaker Ayaz Sadiq. They are reasonable and have the key to settle the issue.
The chief minister on the occasion tried to contact Ishaq Dar but could not because he was out of the country.He then gave a message to Khawaja Saad Rafiq to be conveyed to the prime minister. Saad Rafiq assured the chief minister of conveying his message to the prime minister and trying his best to settle the issue. He also said that law enforcement agencies were working for the security of all citizens and, therefore, it would not be fair to protest along with bodies in front of the LEAs’ offices.
On the insistence of the chief minister, the action committee assured the chief minister that they would not bring out the bodies.The action committee’s representatives told the chief minister that three workers of the airline, Hidayatullah, Farooq and Dr Imran, had been taken into custody.
The chief minister directed the home secretary to talk to the authorities concerned for the release of arrested workers.Expressing deep grief and sorrow over the loss of two valuable lives in firing, Qaim Ali Shah announced Rs2 million compensation for each dead worker and Rs200,000 for each injured. He also ordered the shifting of two critically injured persons to the Aga Khan Hospital for better treatment.
The members of the action committee narrated the incident of firing in which three of their workers died and a number of others sustained injuries. Qaim said PIA was a national institution. “Being its workers and lifeline, the employees have to play their due role,” he said and added that their sit-in was disturbing the smooth flow of traffic and causing hardships to travelers to reach the Jinnah Terminal.
“This is not good for our country, its reputation and its economy,” he said.The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, Principal Secretary Alamuddin Bullo, Home Secretary Mohammad Waseem, Commissioner Karachi Asif Haider Shah and DIG East Kamran.
Courtesy www.thenews.com.pk
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