LAHORE: Trade union representatives and workers in a resolution passed at Bakhtiar Labour Hall on Friday urged the prime minister and chief ministers to check hike in prices of essential commodities during Ramazan and withdraw raised petrol prices by introducing a mini budget.

They expressed concern over the death of poor citizens of Karachi due to severe loadshedding by K-Electric and water shortage as well as condemned the Gujrwanwala train accident with members of the armed forces.

They asked the federal government to adopt National Economic Self Reliance Policy, abolish feudalism and develop cheaper sources of electricity such as hydel, coal and gas thermal power stations in the public sector for overcoming loadshedding on war-footing.

The resolution, which was passed at the meeting, raised concern over increasing unemployment of the working class and youth due to closure of industrial units. It demanded the government recover billions of rupees in taxes from “feudals, capitalists and politicians who had deposited $200 million in Swiss banks” instead of relying on the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The trade leaders also condemned policies of international monetary institutions that were making the rich richer and poor poorer and compelling the government to privatise profitable utility companies.

All Pakistan Workers Confederation General Secretary Khurshid Ahmed, addressing the workers, urged them to continue struggling through strengthening unity and defeating parochial, ethnic and religious extremism and establish an egalitarian society free from exploitation.

The meeting was also addressed by Rubina Jameel, president of the confederation; Akbar Khan, additional general secretary; Yousaf Baloch, chairman; Osama Tariq, secretary; Chaudhry Muhammad Anwar, president of the Railway Workers Union; Muzaffar Hussain, regional secretary of the All Pakistan Wapda Hydro Electric Workers Union; Niaz Khan, Khushi Muhammad Khokhar and Salahuddin Ayubi.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2015

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