Caretaker Federal Minister for Information Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Solangi on Tuesday informed the Senate that the administration of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) has paid the last four months’ salaries to Khateebs and Moazzins from its funds. While responding to a calling attention notice moved by Senator Kamran Murtaza regarding retrenchment and non-payment of salaries to 32 Khateebs/Moazzins performing duties in various mosques under the administrative control of Pakistan Steel Mills, he explained that the PSM mosque committee had hired the services of 37 Khateebs and Moazzins whose salaries were being paid from an amount collected from the employees of Pakistan Steel.

Murtaza Solangi said that the process of laying off PSM employees began in 2021, resulting in the number of employees decreasing from 8,600 to 3,000. Due to this decrease in the number of employees, the collection to pay salaries to these employees decreased. An amount of Rs. 134,000 from Steel Mill employees was collected, and due to the decrease in collection, it was not possible to pay the salaries of 37 scholars and Moazzins. Furthermore, the information minister said that due to the same reason, the contracts of 32 scholars and Moazzins could not be renewed. “As soon as these funds are collected, a decision will be made regarding the contracts of 32 scholars and Moazzins,” he added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)