HYDERABAD, Feb 6: National Labour Federation (NLF) provincial president Rana Mehmood Ali Khan has said the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 2002, is anti-workers.

Talking to office-bearers of various labour unions, affiliated with the NLF, of the Hyderabad zone here the other day, he said President Gen Pervez Musharraf had promulgated the ordinance in haste after the general election, adding the president had no authority to issue such an ordinance after the National Assemble came into being.

He said the ordinance was also against promises held out by the government to workers.

Mr Khan said the IRO, 2002, was the negation of recommendations made at joint meetings of labour federations, unions and employers.

He alleged the ordinance was issued at the insistence of entrepreneurs.