ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee meeting turned tense on Wednesday as PML-N Senator Abid Sher Ali and ANP Senator Aimal Wali Khan traded sharp remarks during a discussion on the death of a sanitary worker in Gujranwala.
The Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights, chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, was reviewing the case of a Gujranwala Waste Management Company (GWMC) employee who died by suicide after reportedly receiving only part of his salary and losing his employment contract.
During the hearing, Aimal Wali Khan questioned officials from Suthra Punjab over the circumstances surrounding the worker’s death. Abid Sher Ali objected to the manner of questioning, telling Khan that the proceedings were being conducted like a police investigation.
“Speak properly,” Ali told Khan, prompting an immediate response from the ANP senator, who said he was speaking appropriately and urged Ali to do the same.
The exchange briefly disrupted the proceedings, with Senator Qurratulain Marri and other members intervening to calm the situation.
Committee probes worker’s death
Officials told the committee that the deceased had worked for GWMC between 2024 and 2025. The company’s CEO said the worker’s contract expired on May 31 and that he was no longer employed by GWMC when he died.
A senator questioned officials about whether the worker’s statements had been recorded before his death and pressed them over the circumstances that may have contributed to the tragedy.
Aimal Wali Khan argued that the worker had been receiving half of his salary and claimed that the circumstances surrounding his employment had pushed him towards taking his own life.
The GWMC chief rejected the allegation, saying company records showed that the worker had been paid his salary. He also referred to performance-related concerns regarding the employee.
The committee also questioned the involvement of third-party contractors in the recruitment of sanitation workers. Senator Qurratulain Marri pointed to a possible legal discrepancy, noting that the Suthra Punjab Act was introduced in 2026 while the incident under discussion occurred in 2025.
Aimal Wali Khan similarly questioned how recruitment arrangements could have been made under an institution that was formally established later.
Compensation under scrutiny
GWMC officials said financial assistance had been provided to the deceased worker’s widow and children, including a plot acquired with the assistance of other stakeholders.
When Khan questioned why the family had been given a plot if the worker was no longer employed at the time of his death, he sarcastically remarked that he too would be pleased if he received one.
Officials also referred to alleged personal problems in the worker’s life as another possible factor. Khan strongly objected to the claim and criticised officials for bringing up an alleged romantic relationship without establishing its relevance to the death.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the committee directed Suthra Punjab to submit copies of the applicable laws and regulations for both 2025 and 2026.
The committee also sought details of any formal grievance or redressal mechanism pursued in the case beyond the compensation provided to the deceased worker’s family.
