ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights turned heated on Wednesday as Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Abid Sher Ali and Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Aimal Wali Khan exchanged sharp words while questioning officials over the suicide of a sanitary worker in Gujranwala.
The committee, chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, was examining the case of an employee of the Gujranwala Waste Management Company (GWMC) who died by suicide after reportedly receiving half his salary and having his employment contract terminated.
During the hearing, Aimal Wali Khan questioned officials from Suthra Punjab about the circumstances surrounding the worker’s death. However, Abid Sher Ali objected to what he considered an overly aggressive line of questioning.
“Listen to them — you are conducting an inquiry and asking questions as if you are sitting in a police station,” Ali told Khan.
When a committee member suggested that the cameras be switched off, Ali said he had no objection to being recorded and insisted that he had said nothing inappropriate.
The exchange escalated when Ali told Khan to “speak properly.” Khan responded that he was speaking properly and asked Ali to do the same.
Senator Qurratulain Marri and other committee members intervened to calm the situation and bring the hearing back to the matter under discussion.
Questions over worker’s employment and salary
The committee was informed that the deceased worker had been employed by GWMC between 2024 and 2025. The company’s chief executive officer told lawmakers that the worker was no longer employed by the institution when he died.
According to the CEO, the worker’s contract had expired on May 31, while his death occurred after the expiry of the contract.
Aimal Wali questioned officials about the worker’s financial situation and said he had been receiving only half of his salary before taking his own life. He argued that the circumstances may have pushed the labourer to such an extreme step.
The GWMC chief executive, however, said the company had reviewed the worker’s bank records and found that his salary had been paid. The official also referred to performance-related issues involving the employee.
During the hearing, Senator Mussarur Hassan questioned officials about whether they had recorded the worker’s audio or video before his death and asked officials a direct question about whether they were responsible for his death.
Senators question hiring process
Senator Qurratulain Marri also raised questions about the involvement of a third party in the recruitment of cleaning staff for Suthra Punjab.
She pointed to an apparent timeline issue, noting that the Suthra Punjab Act came into force in 2026, whereas the incident under discussion occurred in 2025.
Aimal Wali also questioned how recruitment arrangements could have been made in 2025 if the relevant institutions were formally established only in 2026.
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Officials told the committee that compensation had been provided to the deceased worker’s widow and children. They said a plot had also been purchased for the family with the involvement of a chamber and other parties.
When Khan questioned why a plot had been provided if the worker was no longer employed at the time of his death, he made a sarcastic remark about receiving a plot himself.
Officials also referred to alleged personal problems in connection with the worker’s death. Khan objected to the suggestion and criticised officials for raising what he described as an allegation involving a personal relationship.
Committee seeks legal documents
The Senate committee directed Suthra Punjab officials to immediately provide copies of the relevant laws applicable in both 2025 and 2026.
Lawmakers also questioned whether the authorities had undertaken any formal redressal process beyond providing compensation and a plot to the deceased worker’s family.
The hearing highlighted questions surrounding the worker’s employment status, salary payments, recruitment arrangements and the institutional framework under which he had been employed.
The committee is expected to examine the matter further after receiving the requested legal documents and other relevant information from the concerned authorities.
