Mobilink Plans for Another Round of Layoffs

Mobilink-Logo

Restructuring at Mobilink has entered in its next round where more employees are going to see the exit doors, most probably tomorrow evening.

Mobilink said that its aim is to fine-tune organization’s productivity with right-sizing the head-count to ultimately relieve pressure from increasing operating expenditure, which has become a major concern for VimpelCom.

It appears that group level brunt is now going to be borne by the Mobilink employees in Pakistan, which contributes major part of revenues for Moscow based VimpelCom group.

Our well placed sources tell that  Mobilink has plans to off-load at least two dozen employees from finance department this time, from the head office and other regions. Moreover, another few dozens employees from technical department are also going to lose their jobs with-in next few weeks.

Not to forget that at least 30 employees from sales department were shown the doors just last Friday. This was in addition to over 250 employees that were fired from Technical department with-in last six months.

Our sources say that restructuring has caused various positions at Mobilink to become redundant. For instance the finance tasks at various channels are now being handled by customer support people leaving finance guys to become almost valueless for the company.

Similarly, there are other efforts being made to add more functions and responsibilities for some of the staff to ultimately off-load the remaining work-force. Outsourcing technical department was part of the same strategy.

While there is no denying of the fact that Telecom industry is not in its best times these days (see financial reports of telcos for elaboration), however, such massive lays-off are definitely going to worsen the already weakening economy of the country.

Tech and telecom reporter for over 15 years


  • Mobilink has made its own shared services center for finance functions and they have kept fresh staff on low wages on contractual terms. May be thats why this time its Finace getting the hit.

  • There should be employee protection laws in this country which could prevent orgs from firing employees without any valid reason.

    • There is no chance ! An organisation always kept a reason to terminate an employee. How ever organization always ask for a Volunteer resignation by clearing every due. If employee refuse to do so then they terminate with a charge which is always valid. If employee try to go to court or sue them they have a legal department who are specialist to drag case for long time :)

      • This means corporations can come in, hire our people, earn
        money, exhaust our human resource (and I mean REALLY EXHAUST our human resource
        if you know what I mean if you have worked in any telecom), and then trash them
        whenever they want WTF!!! … we as a nation are weak, we cant even stand for our
        own rights… that’s why this all is happening. All Pakistanies are there for themselves.
        Do you have any idea, any SOCIAL HOLISTICAL VIEW of the implications it has,
        when we don’t impose any POLICIES safe guarding the HUMAN RESOURSE they exhaust
        during all this … please think without boundaries !!!

          • This is a one dimensional and naive view. We are not a socialist country. First lets get that out of the way. We are not a socialist people either. We cannot chose to be socialist in difficult times for a certain sector of people and capitalist in times of growth. Look other sectors such as cement, power and textiles is growing and expanding so no one is complaining and when the cellular companies were growing nobody said a single word.

            Well now the growth turned out to be unsunstainable and any company will shed costs. I completely see your view about the direct impact on so many families. But tell me, your same procurement people were slashing costs by firing local Pakistani suppliers. The people who worked at these suppliers’ companies, their families have already taken the hit because of the pakistani procurement guys. So why should we all get together and help the same Mobilink employees who destroyed our futures.

            Why should we unite now? The foreingors used Pakistani against Pakistani when it suited them and you Pakistani Mobilink employees were riding high and acting all arrogant. Now when growth has slowed and the party is over, and you’re being asked to leave, you’re crying wolf? Please. I have no sympathy for you guys. I’m sorry but you would have sold your mothers for the same jobs and companies in 2004 that are kicking you out in 2014. What about the futures of other Pakistanis you destroyed in the interim?

            Pakistanis should have realized in 2004 when national jewels like PTCL were sold off to foreignors and foreignors were given away telecom licenses, when foreignors were given more incentives than locals in the name of foreign investment… this was bound to happen. A Pakistani entreprenuer would atleast care for his people but the foreingors are just cut throat.

            And what is this talk about human resource they exhaust? Wake up and smell the coffee. Anybody who wants a strong future goes abroad at the slightest chance because the local government has given no security, given the foreignors to rule us economically.

            There is not even one decent telecom company owned by Pakistanis. Not even one. What a shame?
            Just look across the border to India and Iran? Not even one Tata, not even one Reliance.

            I’m sorry I don’t feel sorry for you. First fix the bigger problem then we can feel some sympathy for you.

      • In 2011, Telenor Pakistan fired 62 employees from Call Center in fraudulent cases. A few of them knocked the doors of the court and won the case. They were placed back on the same scale in a different department so that the Call Center employees could not know. Many of them are my friends and worked with me in that call center. I think everybody should sue these companies and it works!

  • This is the right time, where all employees get together and resign at once until all the peoples come back who has fired by the company this is the only way , then these companies don’t play with our nation, in Pakistan labour is cheap so that’s why they use our peoples only…… Think about it ( if it happens with you then , so before it happens with you , fight for your Right) Jago Pakistan kab tak sote raho ge,

    • Why have we become soooo negative as a nation? Did you ever thank Mobilink or any other such company for creating and providing jobs to our people? Any business has the right to lay-off people whenever business demands. Purpose of a business in our era is to generate profits, not to do social welfare. For welfare projects, NGO’s have to play their part. If any company doesn’t treat an employee well, the employee always has the option to leave the company or continue.

      • Look first of all the mass resignations will never happen because too many Pakistanis have too many mouths to feed. Second the Pakistani professionals in highest positions are at worst just going to take a vacation to shop at Dubai Mall even if there is commotion.

        But Wajeeh your nonsensical comments really take the cake. We should thank Maybelink for creating jobs? Please. Mobilink should be thanking Pakistanis for (1) Buying the crappy service and giving them billions of rupees so that Mr. Swairis could spend it on his mansions abroad and Mr. Swairis could build his empire using proceeds from Mobilink.
        (2) Running Mobilink as long as they did and putting up with the arrogant Egyptian management.

        Yes you are right about business is for profit and not social welfare. I completely agree. But there is something known as humanity. This is the result of bad policies. Mass firings in any country is too painful. Try doing this in France or even Egypt or Russia itself. The government will give you such a kick on the backside, you’ll have a permanent boot impression.

        NGOs play their part? Are you joking with me? You’re telling us to beg to an NGO? You must be really demented. We have more self pride as a nation than to feel sorry for ourselves and go with begging bowl to anyone. Inshallah we will rise ourselves. But first we must kick your Mobilink and the lot of people out of Pakistan and stop them for sucking any more blood of our people. They are surviving because of money spent from our peoples income. We will happily return their initial investment and interest in the process.

        • Thanks for your polite words bro. It appears as if you are one of the persons who will suffer or who already suffered from these lay-offs (as you sound biased and pissed off). First of all, I don’t work for Mobilink and I don’t even use their service.

          You either don’t understand English or fought with your spouse before writing your comments because you simply couldn’t understand what I meant. Let me clarify…. Mobilink as a company should be thankful to Pakistanis for using their services and helping them earn hugeeee revenues. It should also be thankful to those people who worked for it. Period. It should also review its policies and the wrong decision it made which are resulting in lay-offs. BUT on the other side, the employees should also be thankful to Mobilink because it gave them an opportunity to work, grow and earn money (what’s nonsensical in that mr. intelligent?). As far as NGO’s are concerned, NO, i am not asking you or anyone else to beg to them. What I am saying is instead of begging Mobilink to keep you on board (if you are that desperate to work for them), look for alternates / other opportunities. I said social welfare in our current system is usually considered a role of an NGO, not a business’s role (is it hard for you to understand this point?). I agree that govt. should make rules to ensure welfare of employees, but making rules and then implementing them is a great challenge. Lastly, I can’t comprehend this point that Mobilink is sucking blood of our people. Question is, why are people allowing it to? Who forced them to work for Mobilink or any such company? Isn’t it their decision to remain there or leave?

      • Grow up Wajeeh, we thank mobilink each month by paying the bills. It seems that you are in Mobilink HR, let me know if the names of two brothers in this list. ;-)

        • not just the brothers in HR but in all departments ….some brothers blood related and some are s…k & f..k related

          • You are right, one of the most corrupt private organizations. where people get promotion on remembering boss’s wife birthday. HAHAHAHA

  • I think we as a nation are used to “jobs for life” concept which even IBM gave up now…face the reality…organization are to make money and create wealth for its shareholder / owners either local or foreign. They are not an NGO or non-profit business.

    Problem is larger than Mobilink. Back in 2005 no operator would have thought to layoff that was because economy was good, ARPUs were high and hence OPEX and CAPEX wasn’t a big concern. The last decade has not only ruined Pakistan moral and socially but economically as well and what we see with Mobilnk or NSN leaving and giving space to ZTE and Hauwei is a direct result of the economic melt down the operators are facing.

    Telco industry at large is under pressure around the world either it be from OTT player or fierce competitors.In Pakistan we are looking at operator existing/merging businesses rather than an increased interest to expand.

    Vimplecom, Telenor, Orascom, Vodafone, Etisalat etc… one vision you will find across these comapnies…create value for shareholder/owners …and when ARPU’s don’t increase…OPEX needs to go down…sorry but fact of life.!

    • Agree. Some emotional people can’t understand this. Those who are cursing Mobilink would probably do the same if they owned a business and faced similar situation.

    • MrFarid
      I’ve some different Point of view, I don’t work for Mobilink .Why not mobilink layoff VP”Irfan Akram” Director “Farid Zaka Bajwa” , Wajeeha HR department , lets talk about figure

      one Associate Level Job salary in Mobilink is 25 Thousand approx. and VP Salary is more than 20 Lakh, you are hiring people on outsource and let down figure from 25 to 18 thousand per month, on the other hand if you lay off upper management then you will save a lot and the people who leave Pakistan and have a talent and working in America , Uk , Dubai they will come back and work in their own country, Yes you are right that some people are used to “Jobs for Life” Like Irfan Akram, Farid Zaka Bajwa, Wajeeha and many more , who basically eat Mobilink.

      Thanks fro your comment.

        • Dear Imtinan
          My friend is working in Mobilink , and now Irfan Akram come back to mobilink and his tenure is entended.. chill boy
          This is called Topi Drama in Mobilink hahaha ( Kuch to samjo mere bahi)
          Hahahaha

    • is this the way to cut the Cost by lay off people in pakistan water flows reverse here in pakistan inseated putting hand on martketing neck for taking huge salaries and their bogus plans they are making layoff plan who ridicoulus plan is this

      • yes Bilal
        In Pakistan , upper management makes these planes only to safe themselves not thinking about the lower staff families..
        If they lay off upper management instead of lower staff then they will safe a lot and employees retention increases, may some one think positive and plan , I’m very disappoint to see the comment of Farid and wajeeha, I think they both work in mobilink as an upper management, so what ,

    • so now govt. will be these jobless guys some jobless allowance ?? as you are giving examples of other countries Mr. farid ?? .. is pakistan a welfare state or security state ??… or u will open an NGO to accommodate these fired people.. huh

    • If jobs are not for life ……then ARPUs shouldn’t expect to increase for life hence companies shouldn’t hire blindly or atleast selfishly to take the benefit from employee and then layoff when the job is done. Companies do play games in hiring people distort facts..under pay them…etc

  • Technology is fast replacing human resource. Within a matter of a few years, many professions and professional will be rendered redundant/obsolete!
    On the other hand, MaybeLink has sniffed that it cannot earn anymore from Pakistan and make fool of guile Pakistani subscribers, hence it’s seeing its doom.
    PS: I’ve never been an employee or subscriber of MaybeLink, thank God.

  • Mr Aamir Atta can you please praise other telcos for not doing this including Telenor? :p I know your sympathies are with Ufone and Mobilink and never with Telenor lol

  • Very sad news. Decline of the Huge Reputable Company and this is all because of ignoring merits and promoting favouritism culture. Group of few people within the organization are still flourishing, getting bi-annual increments, perks, foreign tours. Those who are in the company know the names very well.

  • We adopted the foriegn corporate culture !! .. forgetting the fact that we r not a welfare state where people r protected in such circumstances .. !! hah


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