SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: South Waziristan Forest Department’s salaries of the forest employees recruited in the Tsunami ten billion trees mega project started a few years ago have been stopped for the last one and a half years and due to which the stoves in their houses have become cold.
Forest employees demanded immediate payment of unpaid salaries, the employees say that if the salaries are not paid, we will start an endless series of protests.
According to information received Dawn, the salaries of the forest department employees, watchmen, watchmen and laborers in the two tribal districts of South Waziristan, Lower and Upper Waziristan, have been stopped for the last one and a half years and due to which forest employees are facing extreme problems.
The employees said that they have played an important role in the conservation of forests and plantation campaigns, but despite them we are not getting their wages.
The employees told Dawn that they have not been getting their salaries for the last one and a half years, now shopkeepers have stopped giving loans to feed their children and due to which the problem has increased.
The employees say that their stoves have gone cold due to the stoppage of salaries.
They said that if the salaries are not paid in a few days, we will be forced to leave our work.
On the other hand, South Waziristan Divisional Forest Officer Wehdat Zeeshan told Dawn regarding the stoppage of employees’ salaries that I understand the difficulties of my employees.
He said I have repeatedly informed my project director and chief conservator through letters regarding the release of employee salaries, however, there is a problem of non-payment of salaries due to lack of funds and salaries will be released as soon as funds are received.
He said that I have intensified my efforts to release the withheld salaries of the employees soon, to be divided between them.
