STELCO suspends employee after PNC membership proof discussed on live TV

State Electric Company (STELCO) has suspended an employee from duties and opened an internal investigation after the employee was heard during a live television broadcast confirming that proof of registration with the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) could be sent to the company’s Human Resources Department.

The incident occurred during a live programme on RaajjeTV, when the station’s Head of Programmes and Coordination, Aamir Saleem, called a landline number belonging to STELCO’s Human Resources Department.

Aamir displayed the number being dialled on screen and asked the employee who answered where he should send a screenshot after registering with the PNC through the Elections Commission’s online portal.

“Just send it to the STELCO HR number. You should have received a message from this side earlier, right?” the employee responded.

Aamir then asked whether he should send an image showing that he had registered with the party through the Elections Commission portal.

“Yes, correct,” the employee replied.

STELCO said in a statement on Thursday that the employee suspected of involvement in the incident had been removed from job duties while the company conducts an internal investigation.

The company said it would take corrective and administrative action in accordance with its regulations based on the findings of the investigation.

STELCO said it would take any required action “without hesitation” and that maintaining public trust and providing services remained among its responsibilities.

The company did not identify the employee or state whether its investigation would examine whether other employees had been asked to submit proof of political party membership.

The incident comes as government officials and PNC leaders conduct a membership recruitment campaign aimed at increasing the ruling party’s membership to 100,000.

According to Elections Commission records, the PNC had 67,579 registered members as of June.