July 22, 2007	Sunday	Rajab 06, 1428

KASUR July 21: Power loom workers staged a demonstration outside the district coordination officer’s office to demand an increase in their salaries. Over 150 power loom workers staged a demonstration to make millers accept their demands. The demonstration started from Bhasarpura and ended at the DCO Office where workers raised slogans against the government and the millers for not increasing their salaries.

Addressing the demonstration, workers’ representatives Lala Muhammad Siddique, Abdul Razaq and Bashir Ahmed said the government had failed to control price hike and given no relief to the poor in the budget.

They said the government’s ‘anti-labour policies’ had broken the workers’ back and low wages for workers were adding to their miseries.

They said the government had ignored power loom workers’ demands despite three strikes by them in a month. They said they would observe a hunger strike next week if the government and the millers do not consider their demands.

Later, the workers dispersed peacefully after some people from the district administration assured them that their demands would be considered.