According to media reports, there have been discoveries of massive granite deposits in Karoonjhar and those of oil and gas in Sanghar. This is in addition to the gas deposits in Khairpur Mirs, Ghotki and Dadu. All this is naturally good for the country, but what is depressing is the fact that the local people in such areas get a meagre share in the employment opportunities that stem from such discoveries.
Recently, 2,500 employees were sacked illegally without even a show-cause notice, which was a grave violation of laws governing such activities.
Most of these people were eligible for regularisation, but were, instead, shown the door. The management of the relevant gas distribution company operating in the region intentionally picked local people who had by then already served the company for up to 5-10 years.
In their place, non-local individuals were hired. The termination orders were clearly designed to reduce the number of local employees. Such a situation leaves the locals empty-handed.
MANSOOR UL HAQUE SOLANGI
KARACHI
