Suthra Punjab under fire as workers protest unpaid salaries
Punjab’s flagship Suthra Punjab Project, launched to improve sanitation and modernise waste management across the province, is facing growing criticism over allegations of financial mismanagement, delayed salaries, and unfair wage deductions affecting thousands of sanitation workers.
The project was launched on December 3, 2024, with an initial budget of Rs120 billion. The allocation was later increased to Rs150 billion for 2025-26 and Rs170 billion for 2026-27.
According to the Punjab government, the project aims to improve waste collection in urban and rural areas, upgrade sanitation services, maintain waste collection vehicles, and ensure workers receive their salaries on time. However, workers from several districts claim they are not receiving their full wages despite these commitments.
Worker’s death raises serious concerns
The issue gained national attention after the tragic death of a former sanitation worker, Zeeshan, in Gujranwala. According to reports, on June 7, 2026, Zeeshan allegedly set himself on fire at the office of Imperial Waste Management Company after repeatedly protesting salary deductions and the loss of his job. He suffered severe burns and died after spending nearly three weeks in hospital.
His family claimed that his monthly salary had been reduced by Rs21,000, leaving him with only Rs19,000. They alleged that he was dismissed after demanding his full salary, leaving him in severe financial distress.
Workers complain of salary cuts and delays
Sanitation workers from Multan, Gujrat, Bahawalpur, Mandi Bahauddin, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Okara, Pakpattan, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Sargodha, and Lahore have reported delayed salaries, unpaid overtime, denial of bonuses, and unexplained wage deductions.
Although the Punjab government has directed contractors to pay at least the official minimum wage, many workers claim they receive significantly less than the approved amount.
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Employees also allege that deductions are made in the name of social security, even though some contractors are reportedly not registered with the Social Security Department. They further claim that money is deducted for weekly holidays, alleged poor performance, and late attendance, reducing many workers’ salaries to less than half of the approved amount.
Under the current payment system, the government releases funds to private contractors, who then pay the workers. Critics argue that this system lacks transparency and accountability.
In Multan alone, workers claim they have not received their salaries for three months. The city’s Waste Management Company says it directly monitors the salaries of 1,855 permanent employees, while payments for 11,780 contractual workers remain the responsibility of private contractors.
Protests spread across Punjab
Sanitation workers have staged protests in several cities, including Pakpattan, Haveli Lakha, Okara, Faisalabad, Dijkot, Nankana Sahib, Sheikhupura, Sargodha and Lahore. On July 1, workers across Punjab also protested against delayed salaries and the non-payment of the Eid bonus announced earlier.
Anti-corruption investigation reveals alleged fraud
In May 2026, the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment registered a case over alleged financial embezzlement worth Rs1 billion linked to the Suthra Punjab Project in Faisalabad and Tandlianwala.
According to the FIR, contractor Cares Consortium allegedly manipulated digital records between November 2024 and April 2026 by creating fake employee records, reporting non-existent waste collection sites, and submitting false operational data to claim additional government funds.
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Investigators alleged that 633 ghost employees were included in the salary records. They also found records showing 2,317 waste containers, while only 1,717 were physically verified.
The investigation further claimed that the company reported constructing 118 waste enclosures, but only 33 were found during inspections. Officials also alleged that vehicle routes and mileage records were manipulated to obtain inflated payments. Authorities say the company is among nearly 140 private contractors working under the Suthra Punjab Project through a public-private partnership model.
Transparency under scrutiny
The Suthra Punjab Project was launched to provide cleaner cities and create employment opportunities across Punjab. However, allegations of corruption, weak financial oversight, delayed salaries, and worker exploitation have raised serious questions about its implementation.
Officials and labour rights observers believe that stronger monitoring, greater financial transparency, and better protection of workers’ rights are necessary to restore public confidence and prevent similar disputes in the future.
