They announced to auction their 10,000 power looms on February 2nd, while a delegation of powerlooms would visit Bangladesh for shifting of powerloom industry there. They said we have observed complete lockout at the call of All Pakistan Power Looms Association (APLA).
They said that more than one lac workers rendered jobless due to closure of powerlooms. The workers organised a big rally and staged a demonstration at Chowk Manzoorabad, as a protest against the export of cotton yarn, high prices of yarn and 10 to 14 hours long power loadshedding.
The workers stated that protests in the southern Punjab turned violent as long hours of loadshedding continued. Thousands of people, including powerlooms owners and workers, traders and shopkeepers, took out a rally on the call of the Powerloom Workers Association & APLA - after marching through the Chungi No 14, Manzoor Abad- where they staged a sit-in and blocked the Road for an hours. The protesters were chanting slogans against the government.