ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed all parties to resolve the Steel Mills issues amicably and appointed senior counsel Rasheed A Rizvi as mediator.

The court also ordered payment of arrears of the Steel Mills employees and directed the Secretary of Privatization Commission and Secretary Industries and Production to submit a detailed report in two weeks. A three-member bench headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard the Steel Mills Employees Promotion Case on Tuesday.

The Chief Justice expressed anger over the plight of the Steel Mills and remarked all officers of the Steel Mills should be shown the door with just one letter (dismissal letter) and money should be recovered from them.

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar and Minister for Privatization Muhammadmian Soomro also attended the court hearing. The court inquired from both the ministers about what to do with the Steel Mills.

CJP Gulzar Ahmed said “Dismiss all 3,700 employees and 405 officers.” The Chief Justice remarked that PIA, Heavy Mechanical Complex and Shipyard have been shut down and Pakistani ships are being built in China. He remarked that Secretary Industry and Production does not know anything. The remarks came when the secretary failed to answer how many projects of Steel Mills were going on despite the secretary being on the post for a year now.

The CJP said, “Whosoever will take over Steel Mills he will sell it.” Justice Mazahir Ali Akbar Naqvi said that there was no plan and no one was listening at all as well. Justice Ijazul Hassan remarked from employees and officers have been getting salaries for the last 15 years without doing any work.

“Rs200 million are being spent on the Steel Mills daily,” he further remarked.

Planning Minister Asad Umar during the case hearing said, “I don't know why the court called me. Dr Hafeez Shaikh is looking after the affairs of the Steel Mills.”

“The government has made the final decision to privatize the Steel Mills 14 months ago. There was the option to hand over the mills to a Chinese company under CPEC,” he apprised the court. He added, “The Privatization Commission has to do its job now.”

Meanwhile, Soomro said that no one is ready to pay due money of Rs350 billion. Asad Umar told the court that Karachi Shipyard has not been closed yet. The apex court has adjourned the case hearing for two weeks.Previously, the Supreme Court had blamed administration for the worst condition of Pakistan Steel Mills. NNI