HYDERABAD, April 21: The National Labour Federation has condemned the sacking of 426 workers of the Faran Sugar Mills, Shaikh Bhirkio, saying that the action was in violation of labour laws.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, Sindh NLF president Rana Mehmood Ali Khan said that out of 515 permanent workers, the mill management had sacked 426 workers on April 18.

He said that according to labour laws, an employer had to seek permission from the labour court if more than 50 per cent workers of an organization were to be retrenched.

Mr Khan demanded of the Sindh government to take legal action against the management of the Faran Sugar Mills for terminating the workers.

He also demanded the reinstatement of the sacked workers.

Accusing sugar mill owners of destroying industrial peace, the labour leader said that they had sacked a large number of workers despite making huge profits.

He said that more than five million tonnes of sugarcane was crushed during the 2002-3 season and the sugar production increased by 400,000 bags. But, he regretted, the mill owners reduced the price of sugarcane to about Rs20 per 40kg and growers were paid Rs150 million less for their crops as compared to the previous season.

LITERACY: Sindh Minister Naeem Ishtiaque has said that the main cause of poverty and ignorance was the low rate of literacy, and added that this was also the reason why Pakistan could not be at par with other developed countries.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the annual function and certificate-distribution ceremony of the Tando Jam School here on Saturday.

He said through good education and training, the children could become the real builders of the nation.

He urged parents and teachers to impart the best education to the children including religious and moral education.

He appealed to every member of civil society to work for the cause of education and supplement the efforts of the government in this regard.