Islamabad: Syed Arif Hussain Shah, Central Secretary General of the All Pakistan Workers Alliance, Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan, has strongly condemned the Prime Minister's statement terming the closure of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) an 'achievement' and rejecting allegations of corruption leveled against the institution.

In a press statement, he said the shutdown of Utility Stores was a grave mockery of the poor, as the outlets served as the last affordable source of essential food items for low- and middle-income families. He added that the closure has affected millions of households and rendered thousands of employees jobless, while approved severance packages and legal dues have yet to be paid.

Rejecting claims of corruption, Shah said that if wrongdoing existed, those responsible should have been brought to justice instead of closing the institution. He criticized the government's decision to distribute the Ramadan Package through a digital wallet, stating that many poor citizens lack access to digital systems and warning the mechanism could be misused for political favoritism.

The Workers Alliance demanded the restoration of direct subsidies to provide relief during Ramadan, revival of the Utility Stores Corporation through modern restructuring, and immediate payment of all legal dues to affected employees. Shah stressed that ensuring affordable essential commodities is the constitutional and moral responsibility of the government, adding that public hardship cannot be reduced without reversing anti-poor policies.