LAHORE, May 16: Jamaat-i-Islami secretary-general Munawwar Hasan has said economic policies of the government are increasing inflation and unemployment. He was speaking at a pre-budget seminar organised by the Wapda Paigham Union at Sanda here on Tuesday.

He said the government was pursuing the policy of facilitating loot and plunder by multinational companies. Prices of commodities were increasing because the traders had been given a licence to fleece the consumers.

He said the government had done away with the concept of budget by introducing the policy of giving a mini-budget in the form of POL price after every fortnight. It also continued to revise the power supply and gas charges throughout the year.

He said cent per cent increase was necessary in pay and allowances of government employees and workers. The minimum salary should be linked to the price of 10 grams of gold.

He said the JI supported the struggle of the workers for the repeal of black labour laws promulgated by the government and restoration of their trade union rights. It would support referendum for promotion of democracy among trade unions.

Amirul Azim said trade unions were being made ineffective by keeping maximum number of wage earners out of the ambit of labour laws through the promotion of contract system. Hundreds of thousands of workers had been rendered jobless through privatisation, downsizing and rightsizing.