News Desk
Faisalabad, March 27, 2024 – The Faisalabad Waste Management Company (FWMC) is under scrutiny as Christian employees endure the distress of unpaid salaries for the past three months, casting a shadow over their Easter celebrations this month. The dire financial situation has not only plunged these families into turmoil but has also compelled them to undertake perilous tasks such as cleaning gutters and sewers as private contractors without proper safety measures, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives of sanitation workers just last week.
Speaking to The White Post, Abrar Sahotra, a local leader of Union of Christian sanitation workers, expressed outrage over the recurring issue, highlighting that similar grievances and salary issues were raised during Christmas.
However, instead of addressing the concerns, the organization resorted to blaming him for office disturbances during protest and imposed financial penalties, merely to stop him from advocating for the rights of their Christian colleagues, he claimed
In addition, Abrar also said, that the problems plaguing FWMC trace back to 2013 when the government privatized the department with the aim of improving waste recycling for public benefit. However, little progress has been made in this regard, exacerbating the financial strain on both the department and its employees.
According to the Abrar, who is also President of Ithedad labour and Staff Union FWMC, tells that company employs approximately 4000 individuals, of which 2000 are regular government employees, and the remaining are daily wage workers. Among these, around 1000 are Muslim employees, while the rest are Christians.
In response to the situation, Abdullah Nazir Bajwa, GM of FWMC attributed the salary delays to a lack of funds within the department. However, assurances were provided from government official that funds have been received, and efforts are underway to ensure the timely disbursement of salaries to Christian employees before Easter, he maintained
As the specter of financial uncertainty looms over the FWMC Christian workforce, the situation underscores broader systemic issues within the waste management sector that demand urgent attention from authorities to safeguard the welfare of employees and ensure the smooth functioning of essential public services.