Islamabad seals D-Chowk as USC employees protest restructuring plans

The Islamabad administration has sealed off D-Chowk with containers in anticipation of a possible protest by Utility Stores Corporation (USC) employees. The employees have organized a demonstration today in response to concerns over the potential closure of the USC.

Last week, the Secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Production suggested that the government was contemplating closing all Utility Stores nationwide. However, Minister for Industries and Production Rana Tanvir Hussain later clarified that the government is not considering closure but is instead planning to restructure the corporation.

The USC operates more than 4,000 stores across the country, with the goal of offering essential goods to the public at subsidized rates. It is currently on the list of ministries and departments the government plans to privatize.

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