HYDERABAD: Slamming the anti-people policies of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), home-based workers on Sunday demanded an end to price hike, joblessness and federal control on the islands of Sindh and Balochistan.

They made the demands at a rally held under the aegis of the Home Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF) to highlight the economic, social and constitutional issues relating to women workers.

A large number of women, carrying red flags, placards and banners attended the rally.

HBWWF secretary general Zahra Khan led the rally. Those who spoke to the participants included Shakila Khan of the HBWWF, Nasir Mansoor of the National Trade Union Federation, Saeeda Khatoon of the Association of Affectees of Baldia Factory Fire, Saira Feroze of the United HB Garments Workers Union, Jameela Abdul Latif of the Home-based Women Workers Union and others.

The labour leaders were of the view that the federal government’s policies had rendered over 18 million countrymen jobless.

They said that over half of the population of Pakistan was living below the poverty line while basic food items like wheat flour, lentils, rice, vegetables, milk, sugar and cooking oil had gone out of the reach of the poor. They said that prices of medicines had been increased by 200 per cent with the result that the poor could not afford even the life-saving medicines. An unprecedented rise in tariffs of gas and electricity had paralysed industrial production, they added.

The leaders said that minimum wage of Rs17, 500 as announced by the government was not given to 90pc workers and only 5pc workers were registered with social security and pension institutions. They said 1,300 labor unions enjoyed the right of collective bargaining agent. Worsening situation was faced by workers of the informal sector in the shape of exploitation, they added.

They said pacts with the IMF, especially those inked during the present government’s tenure, were tantamount to attacks on the very social and economic foundations of Pakistan. They said the IMF had entered Pakistan like a new East India Company and its viceroys were the real rulers of Pakistan.

Agreements of the government with the IMF were against social contract of Pakistani state with its citizens, they said, adding that the IMF had forced Pakistan to deprive its citizens of their social, economic and political rights as enshrined in the constitution.

The leaders observed that the government wanted to snatch rights from the constitutional entities of the federation, they said and warned that conspiracies to occupy islands of Sindh and Balochistan would be foiled.

They demanded minimum wages of Rs30,000 per month and rates of edibles and commodities like wheat, flour, sugar and pulses be cut by 50pc.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2020