KARACHI, May 28: The National Labour Federation (NLF) took out a procession and staged a demonstration outside the Karachi Press Club on Saturday against price hike, and demanded a suitable raise in the wages of public and private sector employees. The rally was led by Rana Mahmood Ali Khan, labour councillor of Hyderabad District Council, and NLF President Akram Rajput.

Participants of the rally were carrying banners inscribed with demands for steps in the new budget against price hike.

The protesters adopted a resolution urging the government to increase salaries of all workers.

Addressing the participants, Rana Mahmood refuted the government’s claim of having alleviated poverty to any extent. Contrary to the claim, he said, poverty was on the rise and the situation had aggravated during the tenure of President Musharraf.

The record increase in the prices of consumer goods over the past few years was, in fact, the economic murder of common man, he said, and warned that if the coming budget did not offer effective measures towards alleviating poverty, people would rise against the government.

Akram Rajput said that municipal workers were facing discrimination as decisions were being made by individuals on the basis of their personal opinion. Chairman of the Municipal Staff Union Huzoora Masih and Kishan Ganga also addressed the rally.

President of the Army Sugar Mills Workers Union Mohammad Ali Shah said that for many years, workers of the mills had not received any raise.—PPI