PESHAWAR:The employees of Public Health Reference Lab (PHRL), a project of Health Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on Monday demanded of the provincial government for their regularization.
They warned of staging a protest, if their demand was not met.
According to a press release issued here, the 65 PHRL employees were assured that they would be converted from project to regular status on the basis of their outstanding performance. However, despite meeting the requirements and fulfilling their duties, including conducting around two million PCR tests, genome sequencing, microbiological and serology testing of infectious diseases, the employees were not regularized.
Most of the employees have been working in PHRL for several years, unable to plan for their future or make long-term commitments due to the uncertain nature of their employment.
The employees have reportedly raised their concerns with the provincial government, but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears and have so far been unable to secure the regularization they were promised.
The failure to fulfill the promise of regularization has not only had a negative impact on the affected employees, but has also damaged the reputation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. “It is imperative that the government address this issue and make good on its promise to its hard working employees”, the press release read.