FAISALABAD, June 8: People from all walks of life, especially the working class, on Wednesday staged demonstrations to mark their grievances against the federal budget. Hundreds of powerloom workers and employees of hosiery, foundry and processing industry demonstrated in industrial area of Sidhupura against the budget document, which they described as anti-labourer.

The protesting labourers, led by Labour Qaumi Movement leader Aslam Miraj, marched through various areas and held a protest meeting against the government which, they said, had ignored them in the budget. Industrialists and entrepreneurs, on the other hand, had been offered incentives in the form of reductions in tariffs and taxes, they said.

They said a Rs500 raise for the workers would benefit only two per cent of the labouring class while 98 per cent had been employed on a contract and not entitled to the facility.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Economic and Social Forum has also rejected the federal budget.

Talking to journalists on Wednesday, PESF convener Hamid Sultan said the government had failed to provide any incentive to the working class.

He feared that prices of daily-use commodities would further enhance.

All-Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association chairman Sheikh Muhammad Ayub has, however, declared the budget progressive and balanced.

In a statement, he said in order to encourage duty-free import of textile machinery, the last date for opening of letters of credit had been extended till June 30, 2005. This was a great incentive to the textile entrepreneurs.

Furthermore, the Customs duty of five per cent on import of textile spares, too, had been withdrawn, he added.