May 2, 2006	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1427

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RAWALPINDI, May 1: Worker unions and activists of labour rights organizations, in different rallies and conventions held in the twin cities to mark the May Day on Monday, have sought repeal of anti-labour laws, end to privatisation of state entities, and steps for the betterment and rights of the working class.

At a protest rally organised in this regard in Rawalpindi, Pakistan Workers Confederation sought repeal of anti-labour laws, including Presidential Ordinance 2000 and IRO 2002. It also announced that it would hold countrywide protest demonstrations against price-hike and privatisation of state-owned enterprises on May 10.

The rally besides others was addressed by leaders of Wapda Hydro Workers Union, PTV Employees Association, All Pakistan Akhbar Farosh Union, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Mazdoor Kisan Party, Attock Oil Refinery Association, CDA Employees Union and Tehsil Municipal Administration Rawal Town Labour Union.

The speakers called for shaping up a platform to raise a strong voice against those who formulated anti-labour policies. They observed that such kind of forum was essential to send their representatives to the National Assembly to raise voice in the parliament for resolution of the problems confronting the labour class. They hinted at the possibility of a political party of labourers to achieve the objective.

They rejected the government’s claims that it was committed to the cause of labour and was taking all possible steps to improve the economic conditions of the workers.

If the government believes in the dignity of labour, it should repeal all anti-labour laws without any further delay, they said.

Pakistan Workers Confederation, Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Chairman Zafarullah Khan Niazi, Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin of CDA Union, Ali Mardan of Attock Oil Labour Union, Tikka Khan, secretary-general Akhbar Farosh Union, Akram Bunda of PTV Employees Union and other labour leaders were unanimous that privatisation policy of the government was against the interests of the labour class.

They said the workers of PTCL, Pakistan Steel, Habib Bank and KESC were being removed from services after privatisation. They said after Pakistan Steel Mills was handed over to the private sector, its workers there were facing a tough time at the hands of the new administration.

They were of the view that government should set up new industries to overcome the problem of price-hike and unemployment. Criticising the recent increase in the oil prices, they said the government on one hand claimed that national economy was improving, and on the other, it was making lives of the working class miserable by increasing oil prices.

They said more and more people were falling below the poverty line, but the government was showing no mercy to the poor.

In their speeches, Parvez Shaukat, C.R. Shamsi and Fauzia Shahid of Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists expressed complete solidarity with the working class. They paid rich tributes to the heroic struggle of the Chicago workers who had laid down their lives for the collective rights of the working class.

CULTURAL EVENT: Hundreds of workers, intellectuals and political activists from the twin cities gathered at a cultural event on the occasion of International Labour Day held in the Railways Workers Colony at Dhoke Hassu, Rawalpindi.