QUETTA, June 17: The labour leaders, who began a hunger strike 12 days ago to press the Balochistan government to accept its employees’ demands, called off their strike unconditionally here on Monday.

Balochistan Labour Federation (BLF) Vice-President Khair Mohammad Foreman announced that the leaders had ended the strike, following a meeting with the provincial minister for labour, Sardar Mohammad Ali Jogezai, acting chief secretary Ahmed Bukhsh Lahri, Home Secretary Azmat Hanif Orakzai and other officials concerned.

Khair Mohammad withdrew the wheel-jam strike call given by the BLF, the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy and the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement for June 19 in support of the protesters.

According to official sources, the government has decided to release all the labour union workers, who were arrested in different areas of the city for observing a strike.

The government has constituted a committee, headed by the labour minister, for reviewing the problems being faced by the labourers. The committee members include the provincial minister for information and social welfare, Roshan Khurshid Buracha, and the representatives of the BLF and the government.

The labour leaders have been informed that a competent authority will process the cases of the sacked government employees according to rulers and regulations.

The leaders broke their fast-unto-death when the labour minister visited the Civil Hospital and offered them juice.

Meanwhile, the BLF issued a statement that said the government had assured it that the problems being faced by the labourers would be solved through the newly-formed committee.