Islamabad-Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) acting director general Kiyal Zad Gul’s self-styled policies have almost forced 119 daily wagers to lodge protest against the board and some of them have threatened to commit suicide.

Talking to The Nation, PSB workers union secretary M Akram Bhatti has said that anti-human policies of interim setup has created lot of problems for almost all the employees, who are working at the head office in Islamabad, while other centre employees are also feeling the heat. “We have tried to meet Kiyal Zad several times, but he never spared time for us and when finally we met him and requested him to have mercy on the employees in this holy month of Ramazan and release their salaries, he refused to take responsibility and informed us that he has sent the file to IPC minister Riaz Pirzada for the approval.

“The salaries of only 64 out of 119 Grade-I to IV employees out of 119 were only paid. If the acting DG cannot take simple decisions, how was he handed over such important responsibility? We have requested to Riaz Pirzada as well, who very kindly gave approval to releasing salaries of all the Grade-I to Grade-IV employees for the time being, but rest will continue to suffer,” he added.

He said at one end, the PSB bosses were not ready to release the meager salaries of the employees, while on the other hand, they were free to pass on benefits to their blue-eyed persons, who went to attend so-called sports conference in Karachi and were provided air tickets, accommodation and hefty TA/Das. “We will not sit back and allow them to carry on with anti-workers and anti-sports policies and will soon call an emergency meeting and decide our future course of action.”

Akram said the renovation work and maintenance at the PSB was going unchecked. “The contractors are free to do whatever they like to do and nobody has any sort of check on the work while the most astonishing thing is that daily wagers, who are contractual employees and used to get honorarium on Eids, were denied this time and irrelevant persons from other IPC departments were instead included in the list. It is highly injustice and we request the IPC minister to provide justice to the PSB employees, who have been working in the organisation since long, as it is their right to get honorarium.”

Akram said the acting DG talks about rule of law and stresses upon following rules and regulations. “The real problem is that DDG Technical and Training appointment and his promotion was illegal while a committee was formed which had recommended that Shahid should have been reverted to Grade-18 but after more than two years lapse, no action was taken against him. The poor daily wagers and contractual employees’ salaries were stopped and some of them even had stay orders from court, but the PSB bosses have been committing contempt of court,” Akram concluded.

Talking to The Nation, PSB Director National Federations M Azam Dar said the PSB had daily workers and contractual employees since long. “It is a complicated issue and we are trying to resolve it permanently. We have sent file to the minister for approval and in the first phase, Grade-I to IV employees will get salaries very soon, while rest have to wait for few more days.”

When asked Shahid’s case, who has been enjoying countless benefits, keep on enjoying joy-rides, as he first went to Baku and now Skardu, where he has no role to play, neither Azam Dar had any answer nor DDG Administration Mansoor Ahmed. Azam said he was not well and going to perform Umrah.

It is high time when IPC minister Riaz Pirzada should intervene and ensure smooth functioning of things as there is absolutely no one, who may stop a few certain individuals from their self-styled policies. Nobody bothers to follow office timings and they keep on doing against the rules and regulations of the sports board.