HYDERABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has assured employees of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) that she will raise the issue of its closure in the National Assembly.
The promise came after a meeting with USC Union office bearers, who briefed Aseefa Bhutto on the challenges faced by workers following the shutdown of the state-owned enterprise. She expressed her commitment to bring their concerns to parliament.
The union representatives thanked Aseefa Bhutto and PPP for their attention to the matter and urged the government to immediately release employees’ pending salaries and dues.
The closure comes after USC formally halted operations nationwide on July 31, in line with the deadline set for the shutdown of the 1971-established corporation. USC, known for providing essential goods at subsidized rates, had over 4,000 retail outlets catering to low-income households.
The Ministry of Industries and Production confirmed the closure after directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a board meeting earlier in June. All sales and purchases have been suspended, except for stock transfers to warehouses and inventory handovers. Additionally, sales through the Odoo business-management suite have been permanently discontinued.
