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Employees of the Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HWSC) in Pakistan's Sindh province are reportedly facing severe financial difficulties due to prolonged delays in the payment of salaries, pensions, and retirement benefits, according to a report published by The Express Tribune.
As reported by the media outlet, workers' representatives have highlighted the recent death of retired labour leader Raja Khan Palari, who had allegedly been waiting for his retirement benefits for four years. Palari, 64, served for decades under the former Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) before retiring. Union representatives claimed that Palari suffered from liver disease but was unable to continue treatment because of financial constraints, as his gratuity and other retirement dues had not been released. They alleged that the delay in receiving pension-related payments contributed to his worsening health and eventual death. According to The Express Tribune, the Mehraj Workers Union further claimed that several current and retired employees remain bedridden and are unable to afford medical care while awaiting salaries and pensions that have reportedly been delayed for as long as 17 months. Union leaders also referred to an earlier incident in which a contract employee allegedly died by suicide after experiencing financial hardship linked to unpaid wages. They warned that the continued non-payment of dues was placing workers under increasing economic and emotional strain. Workers' representatives further alleged that while hundreds of employees remained unpaid, senior officials of the corporation reportedly received advance salaries for May 2026 ahead of Eid, raising concerns among employees over possible financial mismanagement and unequal treatment within the organisation. According to the report, the union also claimed that contract and work-charge employees were paid only one month's salary before Eid, while regular workers and pensioners continued to wait for their pending payments. The case reflects wider economic challenges in Pakistan, where inflation and financial pressures continue to affect workers and retirees alike. (ANI)
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