HYDERABAD, July 16: A big procession was taken out by workers under the aegis of the National Labour Federation (NLF), Hyderabad zone, here on Tuesday against the denial of the genuine rights to the workers.
Led by the provincial president of the NLF, Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, the protesters started their march from Haider Chowk and converged on the local press club where they staged a sit-in.
Workers and union leaders of Faran Sugar Mills, Seri Sugar Mills, HDA and other organizations participated in the protest march. Prominent among them were Muhammad Hanif Khanzada, Shakeel Ahmed Shaikh, Abdul Karim Mangwano, Khalid Hussain Bhutto and Khalid Kambrani.
Addressing the rally, Rana Mehmood Ali Khan said that the NLF campaign would continue till the acceptance of the workers demands including elimination of unemployment, poverty and price hike; removal of army personnel from the industrial units; announcement of a judicious labour policy and end to privatization of state enterprises.
Mr Khan urged the government to order investigations into the alleged corruption in the privatization of UBL. He said that the salaries of the HDA employees be released and retrenched employees of different sugar mills and other private companies be reinstated.
HUNGER STRIKE: Six former employees of the Zeal Pak Cement Factory continued their token hunger strike for the second consecutive day outside the press club here on Tuesday.
They are protesting against the alleged fraud of the factory management and the CBA union.
Talking to Dawn, Imamuddin, Mir Mohammad, Syed Sardar Ali and others said the cheques issued to hundreds of employees in respect of their dues had been dishonoured.
They provided a list of 245 former employees with cheque numbers which had been dishonoured by banks.
Meanwhile, a third year student of BDS, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, observed a token hunger strike outside the Hyderabad Press Club on Tuesday.
The student, Shahzad Samejo, was protesting against the university administration and the dental department for “intentionally” declaring him fail by four marks.
He demanded of the Sindh governor to restore justice otherwise he would stage hunger strike unto death.
SPSF-SB spokesman Dr Saleem Bhatti and a large number of other students of the university also visited the hunger striker’s camp to express solidarity with Samejo.
They alleged that the university administration was favouring its blue-eyed boys as a result of which students like Oma Devi had to commit suicide in frustration.