Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has initiated two separate inquiries against the Sindh Revenue Board (SRB) and the Labour Department for their failure to address non-compliance issues related to the Sindh Workers Welfare Fund and Sindh Workers Participation Fund. The Chief Minister expressed disappointment, stating that timely action by both organizations could have facilitated the recovery of Rs16.4 billion for workers’ funds.
In a joint meeting attended by relevant officials, including Minister Law Omar Soomro, Advocate General Hassan Akbar, and others, the Chairman of SRB, Wasif Memon, informed the Chief Minister about the updated ledger of fund payers in the Nazir of the Sindh High Court. The ledger now indicates that 39 cases have deposited Rs19.29 billion, with Rs6.75 billion outstanding, bringing the total to Rs26.03 billion.
However, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the lack of action against 54 industrial units that owed Rs3.106 billion. The SRB team assured that show-cause notices had been issued to these units. Dissatisfied with the response, the Chief Minister ordered a high-level inquiry against SRB to investigate the reasons for the delay.
Regarding the Labour Department, it was revealed that 127 defaulting units owed Rs13.4 billion in workers’ welfare and participation funds. The Chief Minister questioned the role of the Director General of Labour in registering these units, emphasizing the need for an inquiry to hold responsible officers accountable.
The meeting also discussed the rehabilitation of flats in Labour Square, Gulshan-e-Maymar. The Workers Welfare Board was directed to ensure the functioning of various facilities, and the Chief Minister expressed his intention to personally visit the flats to assess the renovation works.
Issues related to encroachments on 128 flats in Hyderabad and 100 houses in Shaheed Benazirabad were also addressed. The Chief Minister instructed the concerned authorities to expedite the removal of encroachments once free from the anti-polio drive and survey activities.
