ISLAMABAD, April 30: Pakistan People’s Party Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has expressed solidarity with the working class and called for reviewing anti-labour laws so as to restore workers’ rights.

In her May Day message issued here by the PPP media cell, she said the regime had introduced anti-labour legislation, such as the IRO 2002, which was also given protection in the agreement following negotiations with certain political elements, resulting in the 17th Constitutional amendment.

The former prime minister asked all political forces to join hands with the PPP in undertaking a parliamentary review of the labour related legislation enacted by the regime, “usurping” the basic rights of the workers.

She said the PPP would not abandon labourers, peasants, government servants and wage earners in their struggle for emancipation from the shackles of exploitation.

Nothing, she said, could deter the PPP from standing shoulder to shoulder with the workers and fight for their rights.

Ms Bhutto said her party was committed to the welfare of the working classes as it drove its strength from them.

The country, she said, was going through a difficult time as foreign investment had completely dried up and the local investors were reluctant to come forward because of poor law and order situation, and an uncertain environment. She said the government had thrown out of jobs thousands of poor people in the name of right sizing and downsizing.

She recalled that during her first tenure in office, ban on trade union activities was lifted, 40,000 industrial workers previously sacked were reinstated, wages were increased twice, labourers were awarded share in the income of their enterprise, a decision was taken to build labour colonies in every industrial city and workers were given the right to receive pension.

“It is a grim thought on this May Day that while the serving and retired military officers are being inducted into civilian jobs in hordes on hefty perks and salaries, the poor employees in the civil departments are being thrown out of jobs.”