MIANWALI, Jan 3: Workers of the Pak-American Fertilizer, Iskandarabad, have chalked out a protest strategy against the privatization of the factory.

This was announced at a joint press conference addressed by CBA president Malik Hanif, general secretary Javed Iqbal and opposition leader Amir Nawaz Khan in the union office.

They said the workers would hold demonstrations till the acceptance of their demand. They would take out a protest procession up to Lahore and Islamabad. In case of nonacceptance of their demands, they would go on hunger strike and shut down the factory.

They termed the privatization of the factory a step against the national interest and a conspiracy against the workers to deprive them of their livelihood.

They claimed that the government was obliging its near and dear ones to sell out to them the factory on throwaway price.

They said the NFC installed a urea plant in 1998 at a cost of billions of rupees with the Japanese assistance and annually paying back Rs750 million as instalment of the loan.

They said the plant had a production capacity of 1,050 tons daily (20,000 bags) and earning Rs1,000 million per year profit.

They claimed that after paying back the loans, the profit would be enhanced.

Giving details of the NFC units, they said the NFC was having Pak-Saudi Fertilizer at Mirpur Mathelo, Pak-Arab Fertilizer at Multan, Pak-China Fertilizer at Haripur, Pak-American Fertilizer at Iskandarabad, Jaranwala Chemicals and Hazara Phosphate. The government sold out the first three profitable fertilizer units at throwaway prices.

At the moment, Hazara Phosphate and Jaranwala Chemicals were working with the subsidy provided by the NFC from the profit of the Pak-American factory, they added.

They feared that after the privatization of the factory, urea would go beyond the reach of farmers. They gave the example of cement prices which were now beyond the control of the government after privatization of plants.

The union leaders said hundreds of families would starve because the new factory owner would certainly sack workers in a bid to curtail their expenses.

They gave the example of penicillin and dyes factories at Iskandarabad which have been sold. Both the factories have been closed since long and dues of workers have not yet been cleared. They said the Privatization Commission had fixed Rs1,130 million for the factory which was spread over 13,000 kanals. The price was meagre if considered the rate of the land.

They appealed to the president and the prime minister to stop privatization in ‘larger national interest.’