FAISALABAD, July 14: Powerloom workers held on Wednesday protest demonstrations and staged a sit-in outside the office of district Nazim against what they called atrocities of powerloom owners and local police.

They gathered in industrial areas of Jhang Road, Narwala Road, Ghulam Muhammadabad and Faizabad and observed a complete strike. They brought out separate processions from their respective areas against non-payment of legitimate benefits.

They marched on different roads carrying banners and raising slogans. They claimed that police were playing in the hands of powerloom owners and harassing the labourers. They demanded immediate action against the policemen who allegedly tortured Powerloom Workers Ittehad president Asif Lodhi at the behest of loom owners.

They told this scribe that on Tuesday night, the workers had served a charter of demand on factory owners demanding increase in labour charges from Rs1 to Rs3 per pick, provision of social security and old age benefit facilities, weekly holiday and other benefits according to the Standing Order Ordinance of 1968, Shops Establishment Ordinance and Factory Act.

Their leaders headed by Mr Lodhi, held a protest meeting and announced to observe a strike on Tuesday. They staged a demonstration in Lakkar Mandi. They said the factory owners instead of conciliation with the workers' leaders resorted to victimization through police.

They claimed that a group of armed men accompanied by ASI Safdar beat up Mr Lodhi in the presence of hundreds of people. On receiving the news of torture on the president, the workers of various units immediately gathered outside the factory of Mehr Bhola.

Another police team headed by Gulberg DSP Tahir Maqsood rushed to the spot and held parleys with the protesters. On his assurance that action would be taken against the policemen and factory owners responsible for torturing the labour leader, the protesters dispersed.

However, they announced a complete strike on Wednesday. They blocked traffic on the University Road, Kutchery Road and some other roads of the city. They staged hours' long sit-in outside the Nazim's office and demanded immediate release of their leader and registration of a case against the factory owners who beat him publicly.

Meanwhile, Gulberg police registered a case against Asif Lodhi, Anjum Niaz, Wasim Niaz, Tariq Javed, Rana Shafaqat Ali, Manzoor Ahmad, Shahbaz Ahmad and more than 50 unidentified workers for creating law and order problem, making aerial firing, forcing the owners to close their units at gunpoint and demanding illegal gratification from the owners on the complaint of a factory owner, Arif Javed. Police have arrested Asif Lodhi and Shahbaz Ahmad.