TOBA TEK SINGH: Scores of industrial workers staged a rally on Thursday at Faisalabad’s Sadhar area to demand increase in their minimum wages and provision of basic health and education facilities.

On the occasion, leaders of different labour organisations announced joining the newly-formed Haqooq-i-Khalq Party (HKP).

The event was jointly organised by Labour Qoumi Movement and HKP.

Addressing the participants, HKP central leaders Ammar Ali Jan, Dr Alia Haider, Farooq Tariq and office-bearers of labour organisations including Rana Riaz, Sheikh Muhammad Nisar, Sheikh Khalid Bhola, said since the creation of Pakistan only the poor had been sacrificing and now it is time the ‘land mafia’, bureaucrats, judges, rich politicians, capitalists and feudal lords sacrificed for the country.

Despite the fact that labourers are paying taxes on almost everything, the government has failed to ensure social security, marriage grant and suitable increase in minimum wage for the workers, they said.

The speakers emphasised the vital role of labourers in the development of the country. They demanded implementation of minimum wage of Rs25,000 across the board and demanded that the government raise it to Rs40,000.

The HKP leaders announced that tickets in the next general election would be awarded to labourers against the candidates of capitalistic political parties.

A number of small processions of labourers from different industrial areas joined the rally.

The Sadhar area where the event was held falls in the constituency of Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2022