KARACHI: Four persons, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed when Police, assisted by Rangers, opened fire on the workers of Gul Ahmed Textile Mills, at Landhi early yesterday morning [Oct 18]. Workers, however, claimed that the number of deaths was more... . As many as 50 persons, including 13 policemen, were injured in the early morning police-labour clash. ...

The Government announced the arrest of 150 workers from the Dawood Cotton Mills and the Gul Ahmed Textile Mills. Meanwhile, Labour Organising Committee, Landhi-Korangi, yesterday [Oct 18] announced a 32-hour token strike in all the industrial units in the area.

… The workers had entrenched themselves in both the mills for the last four days for fulfillment of three demands — wages for two days of token strike, release of arrested workers, and withdrawal of cases registered against labour leaders. The police had been trying to enter the mills but the workers had threatened to blow up the five boilers of the Dawood Mills if they did so. … After taking control of the Dawood Cotton Mills, the Police proceeded towards Gul Ahmed Textile Mills. On their way they were challenged by a mob… They threw sticks and stones at the Police … [who] also opened fire and two persons … were killed... .

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2022