SARGODHA, April 17: The strike by 20,000 labourers associated with the stone-crushing industry continued on the third day on Monday. At a press conference here, association chairman Hafiz Abdul Rahman, president Rana Mohammad Akram, senior vice-president Ejaz Husain and Soofi Abdul Subhan Kashmiri said 40 families were dependent directly or indirectly on this industry and facing starvation owing to the strike.

They alleged the lease holders were earning millions of rupees monthly and paying a huge amount as bribe to mines department officials instead of paying legitimate remuneration to workers.

They said if the government failed to save the working class from the alleged atrocities of lease holders and mine department officials, they would continue their strike and start a long march on the assembly secretariat on Wednesday.

They alleged the lease holders were earning billion of rupees annually, but not paying a single penny towards income tax.

Abdul Waheed, a representatives of the lease holders, said they were paying appropriate remuneration to the workers and contributing towards social security so that majority of the workers associated with the industry might avail benefits.