August 20, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 17, 1429

LAHORE, Aug 19: The Pakistan Labour Federation (PLF) has urged the government to repeal the Removal from Service Ordinance promulgated by former president Pervez Musharraf and order reinstatement of thousands of employees dismissed under it.

Voicing the demand during a meeting held here on Tuesday with Attiya Saleem in chair, federation secretary-general Haji Muhammad Saeed said the dictatorial ordinance required to be repealed because it was promulgated to facilitate summary dismissal of the government servants without giving them the right to defend themselves.

They said the Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO) promulgated by the former president, Section 27-B of the Banking Companies Ordinance and legislation placing the Pakistan Railway Open Line under the Ministry of Defence also required to be repealed because these imposed undue restrictions on the trade union activities.

Federation chairman Maulvi Muhammad Aslam demanded lifting of restrictions on filling of vacancies in government departments, and public sector organisations and linking the minimum wage to the price of 10 gram gold.

PWC: The Pakistan Workers Federation (PWC) has appealed to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to order convening of a tripartite labour conference to evolve a viable labour policy for the country.

Voicing the demand in a statement issued here on Tuesday, federation president Chaudhry Talib Nawaz and secretary-general Khurshid Ahmed said the conference required to be held regularly to review the labour situation in the country but the Musharraf regime convened it only once in 2001 and promulgated the Industrial Relations Ordinance completely different from its recommendations to impose undue restrictions on the trade union activities. The convening of the conference was necessary after the departure of Musharraf to review the labour situation in the country and propose amendments to the labour laws to lift undue restrictions on trade union activities.

They also demanded honouring of promises of controlling the prices of essential commodities and unemployment and improving the lot of the people made by the parties in the ruling coalition before the general elections.