Chairman Parliamentary Committee on CPEC hosts Christmas-cum-New Year’s party in honour of sanitation workers

Islamabad: Chairman Parliamentary Committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed on Wednesday hosted a Christmas-cum-New Year’s Party in honour of sanitation workers at the E-7 Park, which was attended by about 150 persons.

Lauding the hard work, role and contribution of sanitary workers to keep Islamabad ‘clean and green’, he said: ‘you are the real VIPs, given your honesty, dedication and hardwork and we are proud of you’.

He also awarded shields of appreciation to two retiring sanitary workers: Yaqoob Masih, who served for 42 years, and Saifur Rahman, who served for 38 years.

Speaking to journalists on the occasion, Senator Mushahid Hussain said that knowing Islamabad is a city of the elites, where VIP Culture is prevalent and only VIPs are acknowledged or honoured, he wanted to set a different example, by ‘honouring our unsung heroes’, the poor, underclass belonging to the Christian community, who are the weakest and most oppressed section of Pakistani society.

The Chairman Parliamentary Committee on CPEC mentioned that ‘usually, in Islamabad, “we only honour VIPs or those holding high office.”

He maintained that the ‘sanitary workers were the real VIPs, because they serve selflessly, above and beyond the call of duty, at meagre salaries, and it is because of them that our city is so clean and beautiful’. The Senator underlined that “we must uphold Quaid e Azam’s vision of equality for all Pakistanis, irrespective of religion, caste or creed” and respect the National Flag where the white colour honours non-Muslim Pakistanis.

He also said ‘humanity should be paramount and the real worship is serving humanity, above any prejudices or any consideration of colour, caste or creed’.

Last year too, Senator Mushahid Hussain arranged a similar function in honour of Manzoor Masih, a retiring sanitary worker and other members of Capital Development Authority (CDA) Sanitation staff.

The head of CDA Labour Union, Chaudhry Yasin, and Senator Fawzia Arshad from Islamabad also participated in the function.