08 November 2004	Monday	24 Ramazan 1425

HYDERABAD, Nov 7: Speakers at a seminar on "Peasants' movement" held here on Saturday demanded strict implementation of laws relating to peasants. The seminar was organized by the Justice and Peace Commission.

Speaking on the occasion, Sister Nauras Nawab of the JPG said that among the manual workers, peasants formed the most oppressed class.

She regretted that although government had enacted some laws to protect rights of the peasants but they were not being implemented in letter and spirit due to complicated legal procedure.

She urged the government to introduce amendments in the laws so that the peasants could have easy access to justice.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan representative Choudhry Aftab Ahmed said that many movements had been launched to improve the working conditions of the peasants but to no avail.

He severely criticised the land reforms and said that the reforms had only benefited the landed gentry.

Zafar Rajput said that the definition of the term, working class, was confined to factory workers whereas other workers including the farm workers and peasants were ignored.

He said that the entire working class, whether they worked on kilns, in municipalities or at farms, should be given facilities and legal cover available to factory workers.

The seminar adopted several resolutions, demanding establishment of peasant colonies, health cover for the peasant families and social security cover to peasants.