LAHORE, Nov 28: The Pakistan Workers Federation on Wednesday observed countrywide protest day against growing inflation and unemployment. It organised demonstrations in Quetta, Karachi, Peshawar, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi, besides Lahore.

In the provincial metropolis, workers belonging to member trade unions of federation took out a procession from the Bakhtiar Labour Hall on Nisbet Road to the Lahore Press Club where they staged demonstration. They were carrying red flags and banners and placards on which they had written slogans against inflation, restrictions on trade union activities and growing threat to their jobs on account of government policies.

Federation president Chaudhry Talib Nawaz, secretary-general Khurshid Ahmad and regional president (Lahore) Chaudhry Nasim Iqbal said workers were perturbed owing to growing threats to jobs after suspension of labour inspections and restrictions on trade union rights. They said the jobs of 60 per cent of the PTCL employees were at stake after take over by the private sector.

They demanded an immediate end to emergency and restoration of the constitution, reinstatement of victimised judges of superior courts, lifting of restrictions on the media, unconditional release of detained and arrested members of bar, political workers and civil society members, review of the plans for privatisation of Wapda companies, the Pakistan Steel Mills, airports, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines, upgrade of pay scales of technical and skilled employees of Wapda, PWD, irrigation and other government departments.