KARACHI, Sept 13: The Pakistan Workers’ Federation, Sindh region, in its conference held on Tuesday evening urged the government to initiate crackdown on hoarders and profiteers instead of sitting as a silent spectator.

“The anti-people traders should be given exemplary punishment for creating artificial shortage by hoarding and skyrocketing prices of kitchen items,” the conference said in a resolution.

The resolution demanded increase in wages of workers, skilled and semi-skilled workers and supervisory staff keeping in view the ever increasing prices.

It was further demanded that selection grade and move-over facilities in national pay scales should be immediately restored.

Through another resolution, the conference demanded withdrawal of ban imposed on trade unionism in railway, PIA, banks and educational institutions besides repealing the black laws that deprived the working class of their rights. It condemned ban imposed on teachers’ union in Sindh and demanded immediate removal of ban, reinstatement of 127 sacked teachers, calling back the teachers sent on forced leave and payment of compensation to injured teachers.

The conference also demanded increase in old-age pension, safety and health facilities at workplace, restoration of labour inspection machinery in Sindh and Punjab. The labour leaders condemned IRO 2000 and extending working hours for women till 10pm.

Among other labour leaders, Chaudhry Talib Nawaz, Khurshed Ahmed, Muhammad Ahmed, Abdul Latif Nizamani, Ramazan Achakzai and Abdul Ghafoor Baloch attended the conference.—PPI