52 security guards working at CMCH deprived of four months salaries

Larkana:As many as 52 private security guards working at Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH) have not been paid their salaries for the past four months.

They have been posted at the hospital by a private security company which obtained the contract from the CMCH. This came to light when the affected guards held a protest demonstration at Jinnah Bagh Thursday and shouted slogans in favor of their just demand. The protesters include Ghulam Qadir Panhwar, Nadim Magsi, Sanaullah Chandio, Liaquat Chandio, Akram Lashari, Muhammad Bux Junejo, Jamil Malgani, Imdad Magsi and others.

While talking to newsmen, they alleged that they were working in two shifts instead of three at various wards and blocks of the CMCH to provide security to the duty doctors and paramedics, but they were even denied actuarial monthly pay and the same had not even been paid to them since past four months in this worst poverty era due to which their family members had reached starvation-like situation.

They said private security company’s supervisor Aijaz Ahmed had now informed them that they cannot be paid monthly salaries as the company had no funds, hence, they had been asked to serve without monthly payment. They said they were told at the very outset that Rs17,000 would be paid to each security guard monthly, but they were paid Rs10000 only which was unlawful and unethical as well. They said that they had made a complaint to the Sukkur office of the company and CMCH authorities.

They further claimed that they were neither given food, tea nor water during duty hours despite the fact that they reached CMCH to perform duties from far-flung and remote areas of Larkana and Kambar-Shahdadkot districts.

They further said that they boycotted their duties today to press the relevant authorities to clear their dues and ensure payment of monthly salaries regularly on time. They also urged the relevant authorities to take notice of the issue so that salaries could be paid to them.

Credible sources at the CMCH told this Scribe that the Sindh government did not release 4th quarter of the annual budget allocation of 2019-2020 for the purpose, hence, bills of the security company were not passed by the government treasury. These sources say that when the funds are released by the government then bills will be passed and the company will be paid the amount.