KARACHI: The Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI), a key subsidiary of the Labour Department, is grappling with severe mismanagement, jeopardizing its performance targets and undermining worker welfare initiatives.
For the fiscal year 2024–25, SESSI had set a contribution target of Rs. 22 billion. However, the institution has fallen drastically short, with a reported deficit exceeding Rs. 10 billion. In addition, the goal of registering 150,000 new workers remains unmet. To date, only 600,000 workers have been registered with the institution—far below the estimated 5 million eligible workers across the province.
Adding to the concerns, the project to issue digital Benazir Mazdoor Cards, initiated in collaboration with NADRA four years ago, has seen limited progress despite a staggering Rs. 2 billion already spent. Out of the 600,000 registered workers, only 150,000 have received their cards.
Sindh Chief Minister and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had previously chaired a high-level meeting with the provincial labour minister, instructing him to expedite the card issuance process. A deadline of May 1, 2025, was set—now passed with targets still unachieved.
Administrative inefficiencies and irregular appointments have compounded the situation. Numerous officers are reportedly holding multiple posts in violation of regulations. Junior officials have been posted to senior positions, flouting service rules and clear directives from the Sindh High Court. For instance, Qadir Mehar, a Grade-17 Social Security Officer, has been serving as Director of the Sukkur Directorate for over a year without even being a regular Deputy Director.
This trend is not limited to Sukkur. In the SITE East Directorate, an unusual number of Deputy Directors—including Shahid Ali Memon, Asif Dawood, Asif Qaimkhani, and Asad Haider—are serving concurrently in a single office, highlighting a pattern of overlapping postings and administrative confusion. Similar issues have been reported across other SESSI offices and affiliated hospitals.
The Sindh High Court, in September 2024, had mandated the registration of three million workers under SESSI. However, with only 600,000 workers registered so far and the institution far behind its financial targets after 11 months into the fiscal year, achieving this milestone seems increasingly unlikely.
Experts suggest that had appointments been made on merit and in line with court orders, both registration and revenue goals might have been achieved.
It is imperative that Provincial Labour Minister Shahid Abdul Salam Theim, Labour Secretary, and Acting SESSI Commissioner Sikandar Baloch take immediate and decisive action. Addressing these deep-rooted administrative challenges is essential to ensure that millions of workers receive the social security, healthcare, and support they are entitled to under the law.
