NIRC issues arrest warrants against NJHPC head

Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Zarrin, head of the company declined to comply with the Commission’s orders to reinstate the female officer

Zeeshan Javed

The National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) has issued immediate arrest warrants against Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Zarrin, head of Neelam Jhelum Hydropower Company (NJHPC) after the latter did not appear before the commission in contempt of court case.

The head of NJHPC has not reinstated a female employee after a court directed him in this regard.

Following the death of a former employee of the Water and Power Development Authority, his daughter was appointed as the Private Secretary to the Director-General (Coordination) at WAPDA in 2010.

She was later posted as Protocol Officer on Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. According to the female officer, she was harassed several times by Brigadier (retd) Zareen, head of Neelam Jhelum Hydropower Company, on which she raised her voice and informed the concerned agency in writing.

The head of the company fired the female officer in July 2019 and withheld all her arrears and other benefits. The woman officer immediately approached the National Industrial Relations Commission and the Women Ombudsman’s court.

A case of psychological harassment and mental torture against the head of the company is still pending in the court of the women Ombudsman while the NIRC while dealing with the case of the woman, issued orders to Neelam Jhelum Hydropower Company and WAPDA to clear all her arrears.

According to official documents, the head of the company declined to comply with the Commission’s orders and did not reinstate the female officer.

The appointment of the head of Neelum-Jhelum Hydro-Par Company has also been declared illegal by the Cabinet Division, while the government issuing orders to ensure the appointment of a new head, expressing anger over the illegal appointment of the head of the company.

According to company sources, the Ministry of Water Resources is postponing the appointment of a new head of the company, while WAPDA has not yet commented on the matter. Mohammad Zarrin, accused in the case of harassing a female employee was approached repeatedly contacted on his personal mobile number and office telephone number however, he could not be contacted.