GUJRANWALA, Sept 20: The workers of industrial units on Monday threatened to march towards the privatization office in Islamabad if the decision to privatize the social security department was not withdrawn.

This was warned by labour union leaders Sardar Muhammad Adeeb, Mian Ataur Rehman, Muhammad Babar Butt, Chaudhry Ghulam Rasul, Sahibzada Hatim Saeed, Ms Khalida Perveen and Ms Samina Irfan while addressing a meeting here at the Labour Hall.

They said that the privatization of the social security department was not in the interest of workers. Instead, they said, it was an attempt to deprive them of health and education facilities.

Criticizing the government, they said that it was destroying the national institutions at the behest of the IMF and international donor agencies. They urged that the outstanding dues of the gratuity of retired workers should be cleared immediately because they were under severe financial crunch.

PROTEST: Residents of Sheikhupura Road have protested against toxic emissions by furnaces and other mills of the area. At a meeting held here on Monday, the protesters pointed out that residents of the area had dragged the owner of a paper mill on road besides ransacking the installation of the mill a few months ago when he had refused to control the emission.