Islamabad - After restrictions imposed on the International Non Government Organisation by the government, an organisation working in the social sector has started compelling its employees to sign an affidavit of relinquishing their financial benefits, The Nation has learned on Saturday.

Sources said that ACTED-Pakistan asked its employees in early 2018 to sign an affidavit under which they have to surrender their rights as granted by the rules other statutes.

According to the sources, the INGO circulated an email among the employees informing them that in order to renew their contracts they had to sign new affidavit.

The affidavit reads: “I acknowledge that the ACTED Pakistan being an international not-for-profit non-governmental organisation-is not legally bound to pay any gratuity or 13th month salary to me.”

“The ACTED Pakistan is relieved and discharged from any and all payments to me for bonus, gratuity, severance benefits and provident fund.” A senior official who resisted signing the contract was terminated on March 30 claiming that the decision was made because of closure of the projects, sources said.

The terminated employee however sent a legal notice to the INGO maintaining that in early 2018 the organisation tabled an affidavit for every employee to sign under which they have to surrender their rights as granted by the Constitution of Pakistan and various other statutes.

Sources said that the affidavit also stated that INGOs working in Pakistan are not bound by the labor and service laws of Pakistan.

The legal notice further stated: “This patently illegal affidavit would never have been signed by any employee but your malicious plot to make them sign it was by extending contracts of only those employees who had signed the affidavit. To this effect an email was circulated amongst the employees informing them that in order to renew their contracts they had to sign this illegal affidavit and effectively relinquish their rights as granted by law.”

When contacted, Country Director of ACTED-Pakistan Sarfraz Lal Din told The Nation that downsizing in the organisation is a routine matter and employees are relieved from their services on ending their contracts.

He also said that the employees relived from their duties had obtained their 13th salary according to the rules but now also claiming gratuity which is in contradiction with the policy.  “I will only follow the policy,” he said.

Sarfraz Lal Din said that the employees having any objection to the decision can reach court for justice, however their claim of confiscating rights is baseless as they were relived from the services on ending their contracts.