March 13, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1429

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, March 12: Workers of a sugar mill went on strike on Wednesday keeping operations suspended.

Al-Noor Sugar Mill Workers Union had given strike call upon which labourers abstained from work and kept doors of the mill closed for the day.

They raised slogans against General Manager Ghulam Khwaja for torturing labourers since last eight years in different ways including disallowing union activities.

They said the general manager terminated 21 workers some one and a half months back hence their families were facing financial hardships.

Pakistan People’s Party leader Changez Khan and ex-MPA Bahadur Khan Dahri along with labourer representatives, including Union’s General Secretary Hussain Dahri and President Zulfiqar Arain held deliberations for six hours. It was decided to restore 21 workers within two days with the initiation of charter of demand.

Labourers informed reporters the mills would take two days to resume operations.

Labour Party Pakistan leader Younus Rahu said his party fully supported the demands of labourers and urged the administration to accept their demand without delay.