Metro bus employees, especially guards, went on strike and suspended the bus service for a third time due to non payment and low salaries on Monday.
On July 10, last month drivers were on strike against the non-payment of salaries which were due on Turkish al Buraq Company, which has been running the mass transit between the twin cities on contract basis.
From 1 pm to 5 pm the commuters of the twin cities had to face hardship as the security guards forced the drivers to park 64 buses at different stations and stop operations. Both the male and female guards threatened to shut the service down on a permanent basis if their salaries were not released and increased timely and as per rules.
The protesters were carrying placards inscribed with slogans against the concerned officials of metro bus authority.
They demanded Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of the non-payment of salaries. They asked that action also be taken against officials concerned, because of their role in creating financial problems in the MBS soon after its launch, they added.
A representative from the protestors, Shabana Zia, told Pakistan Today that the higher officials of the Metro Bus Authority are responsible for the way that the employees are being treated. “Our salaries are delayed every month and as per constitutional rules our rights are being denied,” she said.
The monthly wages for laborers were set at Rs 13,000 per month by the Punjab government in the annual budget but the Metro Bus employees were paid less than Rs 10,000.
Another security guard, Ruqia Anwar, told Pakistan Today that the Security In-charge Major Jameel Remain is always ready to demote and fined poor employees. She said that the daily wage is Rs 375 but on one absent the employees are fined Rs 1936. She added that Major Jamil and Major Shoukat also imposed high penalties on employees who failed to wear a tie.
She added that on the auspicious occasion of Eid the employees were ignored. On Eid the employees of the RWMC and Inbox were awarded Rs 4,000 but Metro employees got nothing. When contacted Security In-charge Major Jamil and Brigadier Sarwar remained unavailable for a comment. However, Major Shoukat said that he would not be able to comment on the issue.
