KARACHI, July 12: The All Pakistan Trade Unions Organization and the Banks' Trade Union Alliance of Pakistan, have demanded of the government to put an end to all anti-labour laws , otherwise the trade unions will launch a protest movement for their rights.

The demand was made by APTUO Secretary General S P Lodhi and BTUP Conveyor Habibuddin Junaidi, while speaking to a large gathering of trade union workers at the office of the Habib Bank Workers' Front on Monday.

Mr Lodhi, in his speech, said that the Industrial Relation Ordinance-2002 had deprived the workers of their basic rights. Mr Junaidi, terming the rule of present regime a dark era, said that workers would continue their struggle to thwart the atrocities meted out against them.

He said the trade unions in banks would continue their struggle, along with the other trade bodies of the country, for the removal of an anti-labour section, 27-B, of the Banking Companies Ordinance-1962.

He alleged that the government tried to divide the worker community through the aforesaid section, but the workers' unity had failed this conspiracy. He demanded of the government to restore the trade union activities in the PIA, KESC, Steel Mill and other organizations. Fazal Karim, Haji Yaqoob, Syeda Nadira Perveen, Nasiruddin Mehmood and Ashraf Baloch were also present. -PPI