ISLAMABAD   -   The employ­ees and workers of a tobacco com­pany have appealed to AJK Chief Justice to take notice of the factory’s illegal closure by the administration demanding immediate de-sealing of the premises as families of more than 400 workers are facing criti­cal financial conditions due to the workers being unemployed follow­ing the closure.

It is to be mentioned here that the relevant authorities last week had sealed Walton Tobacco Company over the charges of tax evasion.

On the other hand, spokesman of the company Arif Zia termed the al­legations baseless and unfound­ed and claimed that they are receiv­ing threats of serious consequences from the administration of the rel­evant quarters. He explained said that their company was the highest tax-payer in AJK, which pays 240 mil­lion rupees to the national exchequer every month. Leaders of the factory workers Muhammad Ali and Umar Ahmed regretted that the AJK gov­ernment’s alleged indifferent atti­tude towards resolving the issue.

They said that the factory owners were treated like thieves, which is discouraging for the highest taxpay­ers and would result in discouraging investor entering AJK market. 

Earlier, workers and employees of the company held a protest demon­stration at Rawalpindi Road outside the factory in Mirpur Chatrapadi, and demanded the administration to immediately de-seal the factory.

They warned to expand the scope of their protest movement in order to get back their jobs as they along with their families are suffering acute financial problems.