KARAK: The labourers working in salt mines went on strike here on Monday against the recent increase in price of natural gas and lack of basic facilities.

The district president of labour union, Naveed Khattak, and others while addressing the protesting miners condemned increase in the gas prices. They said that price hike would hit the daily wagers hard.

They said that with the increase in price of natural gas, a new wave of price hike would hit the poor people. They said that the contractors paid them much less compared to the task they performed. They said that in case of any injury, the first aid facility was not provided to them.

The speakers said that there were no arrangements of light inside the mines that created problems to the workers.

They said that there was no arrangement of residential facility for them.

The speakers criticised the contractors and alleged that they were interested only in earning to increase their bank balance and was taking no step for the welfare of the poor miners.

They criticised the role of the government and said that the salt and gypsum leases should not be awarded to the contractors without inking written agreements with them to ensure protection of the rights of workers.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2019