Gilgit (PR): After protesting for the past two weeks, NATCO employees announced to call off their almost two weeks sit-in after they received assurances of fulfilment of their demands from a special committee of the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Assembly.
In a press release issued to media by Deputy Director G-B Assembly Abbas Ali, a G-B Assembly Committee comprising of Javed Ali Manwa, Colonel Retired Obaidullah Baig held a meeting with officials of NATCO Workers Union on Tuesday. The Managing Director NATCO was also in attendance of the meeting.
During the meeting, the MD NATCO gave a detailed briefing about the current situation and the problems challenges encountered by the organization’s management. Meanwhile, the officials of the NATCO Workers Union apprised the special committee GB Assembly about their demands and rationale behind their protest sit-in.
While talking on the occasion, the Speaker G-B Assembly Nazir Ahmad Advocate expressed solidarity with the protesting workers of NATCO. He pledged to thoroughly investigate the issues NATCO is facing currently and work towards a permanent solution.
The Speaker G-B Assembly emphasized the need for legislation, affirming that G-B Assembly remains committed to fully cooperating in this regard.
Encouraging an end to the sit-in, Nazir Ahmad Advocate said because of NATCO workers’ 10-day strike, the organization has incurred huge financial losses. He appealed to the employees to resume their regular professional duties.
With the Speaker of the Assembly’s assurances to addressing their demands, the NATCO Workers Union officials announced an end to their sit-in.
On this occasion, Nazir Ahmad Advocate directed the G-B Assembly Secretariat to convene an urgent committee meeting tomorrow at 12 noon. As per the directions, the officials of the law department would participate. The draft legislation pertaining to NATCO will be reviewed in the meeting.
Furthermore, the speaker directed NATCO officials to attend in the committee meeting to be held tomorrow. They were instructed to bring all the details regarding Employee Insurance and CPF fund (Central Provident Fund), along with the relevant officials.
The issues related to the non-depositing of insurance and CPF deductions from employees’ salaries, as well as the losses incurred by affected employees, will be addressed following a thorough review.
