12 February 2004	Thursday	20 Zilhaj 1424

KARACHI, Feb 11: The Karachi Shipyard Labour Union (CBA) has appealed to the higher authorities to take suo motu notice of the persisting unrest among Shipyard workers who had been seeking not only their salary for the last month but also their dues.

The Shipyard workers staged a protest rally outside the press club here on Wednesday. They were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans condemning contract system and suspension of certain CBA leaders.

They accused the Shipyard authorities of mismanaging their provident fund and appealed to the president, prime minister, chief justice of Pakistan, governor and chief minister of Sindh and the chief justice of the Sindh High Court to intervene in the matter.

Addressing the rally, the CBA leaders warned that if their genuine demands, including reinstatement of suspended labour leaders and workers, were not accepted, the workers would take to the streets and stage sit-in in front of the Governor House and CM House.

They vowed to resort to extreme action like fast unto death and self-immolation if their grievances were not looked into. They also appealed to all labour unions and human rights organizations to take notice of the excesses being committed against the Shipyard workers.