LAHORE, April 9: The Industrial Relations Ordinance, 2002, was unanimously rejected as an anti-labour law and its repeal was demanded at a discussion on ‘IRO and workers rights’ at the Lahore Press Club on Wednesday.

National Labour Federation secretary-general SD Saqib, Authorities Labour Federation secretary-general Rashid Khan and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (Dastoor) president Saeed Aasi said the IRO required to be repealed because it was a draconian law promulgated by a dictatorial regime to suppress the workers and deprive them of their basic trade union rights.

Pakistan Workers Confederation information secretary Yousaf Baloch, Muttahida Labour Federation organizing secretary Mohammed Akbar and Punjab Irrigation Labour Federation president Abdul Rehman Aasi said the IRO-2002 should be presented in the National Assembly for removal of its lacunae.

Punjab Law and Local Government Minister Raja Basharat said laws were made for restoring order in society and solving the problems being faced by the people.

He said the lacunae in the law should be removed to make it acceptable to the workers. He offered to mediate between the workers and the government for redressing the grievances of the workers about the IRO.

Former NIRC chairman Zaman Qureshi urged the workers to study and understand the labour laws. He said many labour leaders were not aware of the labour laws.

District labour officer Syed Sakhawat Ali and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research representative Hanif Ramay also stressed the need for making the workers aware of their rights in the labour laws.