UNISAME URGES TDAP TO PAY QRC PROMISED GOLDEN HANDSHAKE

QRC staff still waiting for golden hand shake
Staff Reporter Pakistan Observer
Sunday, November 08, 2015 – Karachi—The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to expedite the payment of the golden handshake to the staff of the disbanded Quality Review Committee (QRC) as a period of 3 months has passed since the closure of QRC and the now jobless employees are left high and dry without any compensation.

President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said it is unfair to leave them jobless on the one hand and on the other to holdback their promised golden handshake funds.

The TDAP could have utilized their services in their several other departments but unfortunately even the ministry of commerce also never bothered to transfer them to the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) and simply served them with one month’s termination notice.

Thaver said the TDAP needs to immediately arrange for funds and pay the QRC staff without further loss of time. He said the TDAP needs to recover the amounts lying with the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and also expedite the audit of accounts and take back the properties purchased in Karachi and Lahore with the QRC funds. The REAP which enjoyed for years on the income of the QRC has never bothered to even enquire about their welfare.

The QRC was functioning as a basmati rice pre shipment inspection cell , which was disbanded 3 months ago as it proved to be futile. In fact the SME rice exporters hold QRC responsible for their setback as QRC was not impartial, independent or transparent and also not qualified or eligible to carry out PSI.

In fact it is good riddance to bad rubbish. Thaver said that although the union detested the behavior of the QRC and had challenged its status as a PSI yet nevertheless is not happy at the treatment meted out to its 16 years old staff as most of them are old employees and deserve timely compensation to survive in harsh times.

He said in normal circumstances the rice processors and exporters would have employed the QRC Staff but unfortunately the rice industry is in turmoil and more than 1000 units are closed.

Posted in: Press Releases