PESHAWAR, Sept 27: The additional district and sessions judge, Sabir Khan, on Saturday issued arrest warrants of Chairman, All-Pakistan Federation of Labour (Durrani Group), Aurangzeb Durrani and 37 other labour leaders, directing the police to produce them before the court on Oct 29.

Court officials claimed that the 38 persons, including Mr Durrani had not been appearing before the court in a case registered against them in 1996.

Mr Durrani refuted those charges, stating that they had never received any summons in this regard.

The case was registered at police station Hasthnagri on Feb 16, 1996, after a protest demonstration was staged by the All- Pakistan Federation of Labour.

The organisation was protesting against closure of sick units, unemployment, downsizing in different departments and other problems faced by labourers.

The police had baton charged that demonstration and also used tear gas against them. About 50 labour leaders and workers were arrested, including Mr Durrani. Later on, the then provincial minister Syed Qammar Abbas visited them in the police station and requested them to call off their protest movement. He assured them that cases against them would be withdrawn by the provincial government.

On the assurance of the minister they were released from police station and were told that the cases were withdrawn.

Recently, the police had produced a challan in the said case before the court.

The court observed that as the accused had not been appearing, therefore, their non-bailable arrest warrants were issued.

Mr Durrani said that his office was adjacent to the Kabuli police station but he was not communicated with any court’s order.

He claimed that the court order would create an unrest among the members of the federation across the country.

Mr Durrani said that a number of people, against whom the warrants were issued, were either dead or had left the country.