ISLAMABAD, July 19: The Senate deputy chairman, Khalilur Rahman, on Monday admitted and referred a resolution moved by People's Party Parliamentarians (PPP) Senator Mian Raza Rabbani to the standing committee concerned , demanding lifting of ban on trade union activities in the country.

The deputy chairman referred the resolution when it was not opposed by leader of the house Wasim Sajjad after several speakers, including some of the treasury members, spoke in favour of it.

Moving the resolution, the PPP senator regretted that the government had not appointed any minister for labour after the death of Abdus Sattar Laleka which showed the government's interest in the issues of labour community.

Mr Rabbani alleged that "the present anti-labour and capitalist-friendly government was busy in taking steps to crush the labourers on the directives of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF)".

The PPP senator termed the IRO-2002 a black law and said the opposition rejected it. He said the government was violating the directives of the International Labour Organization (ILO) which had called for lifting ban on trade unions.

He said performance of several institutions like PIA, Railways, banks, Wapda and Pakistan Steel Mills had declined due to the ban on trade union activities. He said duty hours of cabin crew staff of the PIA had been increased to 14 hours which could affect the flight safety measures.

Prof Ghafoor Ahmed of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) supported the resolution and said the country could face law and order problems due to ban on trade unions. He said the Constitution guaranteed that every citizen had the right to form unions.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Senator Ahmed Ali opposed the resolution and claimed that the management did not fire any person from the services without any reason. "I represent the management and oppose this resolution," he added.

PPP Senator Sajjad Bokhari said the treasury members should remember that in the past several institutions flourished in the past where trade union activities were allowed.

He regretted that in the 21st century the parliamentarians were discussing whether the labourers and workers should be given a right to speak or not. PML Senator Razzaq Thaheem said union activities should be allowed within the limit and under the law. He called for steps to check misuse of trade unions.

Sanaullah Baloch of the Balochistan National Party (BNP) said the government was violating articles 11 and 70 of the constitution, which allowed freedom of speech and a right to form associations to the citizens.

He said on one hand, the government talked about improvement in economy and on the other hand, it was making anti-labour policies which were a backbone of the country.