Karachi water utility faces employee revolt amid deepening governance crisis

Karachi [Pakistan], June 11 (ANI): Karachi continues to grapple with a prolonged water shortage that has affected residents for nearly three months as the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) is now facing mounting pressure from its own workforce. Employees staged a protest outside the Karachi Press Club, accusing the utility’s management of neglecting workers’ welfare and mismanaging public resources, as reported by Dawn.

According to Dawn, the demonstration was organised by the elected KWSC Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) and the Muttahida Workers Federation affiliated with the MQM-P.

Protesters carried banners and placards demanding the restoration of employee benefits, salary increases, and the immediate settlement of pending payments owed to retired staff, resigned employees, and families of deceased workers.

Speaking at the rally, CBA Chairman Irshad Khan levelled serious allegations against the KWSC administration. He claimed that the corporation’s medical services had been outsourced to a private insurance company allegedly linked to a senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) figure. Khan alleged that despite the medical department having a budget allocation of Rs340 million, payments totalling Rs740 million were made to the insurance company.

He asserted that documentary evidence exists to support the claims and challenged authorities to investigate the matter.

Khan stated that any attempt to curtail healthcare facilities for employees would trigger strong resistance. He argued that recent changes to the medical system had created significant hardships for workers and their families, restricting access to essential healthcare services.

He further stated that KWSC employees, who are responsible for maintaining Karachi’s water and sewerage infrastructure, have seen their rights ignored despite rising inflation and worsening economic conditions, as highlighted by Dawn.

Several MQM-P lawmakers and party officials joined the protest and voiced support for the workers. MQM-P representatives criticised what they described as continued official indifference toward employees’ concerns, stressing that the protection of workers’ rights remains a fundamental responsibility of public institutions and the government, as reported by Dawn. (ANI)

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