Utility Stores Corporation (USC) employees concluded their sit-in after Federal Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanveer Hussain confirmed no plans to close the USC.
During a discussion with USC employees, the minister affirmed the government’s dedication to sustaining the organization’s operations. Rana Tanveer stated, “We aim to restructure the Utility Stores Corporation to enhance efficiency, not close it.”
Following assurances that a subsidy of Rs50 billion from the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and an additional Rs10 billion Ramazan package from the budget would be forthcoming, employees decided to end their protest.
Furthermore, Rana Tanveer consented to establish a committee to manage USC’s restructuring. This committee will comprise representatives from all employee unions, ensuring their involvement in the restructuring efforts.
“The government will safeguard the interests of all employees. We will make decisions collaboratively with the employees and other stakeholders,” the minister confirmed.
These assurances led to the termination of the protest, with employees expressing relief that their jobs and benefits would be protected.
Read: Federal Government to Shut Down Utility Stores Across Pakistan
The anticipated closure of utility stores nationwide was expected to affect millions of low-income families dependent on subsidized essential goods.
A recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee revealed that the discontinuation of a Rs50 billion subsidy, which previously aided approximately 26 million households, had been considered. During this meeting, the Secretary of Industry confirmed considerations to close utility stores as part of the rightsizing initiative.
