May 03, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1428

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HYDERABAD, May 2: Around 150 workers had been rendered jobless after the Black Diamond - a company of Lakhra coal field – wound up its business four months ago, said Muttahida Labour Federation Sindh Chairman Mohammad Asif Khattak on Wednesday.

He said that the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) had contracted the company to one Yaqoob Memon although the PMDC was itself the lessee of mines.

Asif Khattak and Haji Aurangzeb, president of Black Diamond Coal Company Workers Union, supported the workers who staged a protest demonstration outside the press club.

Mr Khattak said that the contractor had removed machinery from the area after a fire broke out in coal mines due to collection of different gasses. Mr Memon, upon getting the contract, had promised to protect the workers’ benefit but he did nothing, he said.

He demanded that the company which had been closed for last four months should be reopened. A labourer gets Rs400 for extracting one ton coal, he said.

He said that the workers had made correspondence with the contractor but to no avail and added that the contractor had now sub-contracted the company to one Qadir Pathan who, too, was least interested in running it.