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  • Jun 8th, 2014
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Rich tributes were paid to the martyrs of 1972 labour movement in SITE area of Karachi at a memorial meeting organised by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research Saturday. Six workers had lost their lives for the rights of the industrial workers in Karachi.

Trade unionists, human rights activists and labour leaders attended the event to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1972 labour movement. In their speeches they eulogised the sacrifices of the workers for the cause of labour movement. The labour movement had backing from other sections of the society like students, women and common people.

The peaceful movement of the workers started in December 1971 and continued till June 1972 against the forced removal of the workers, negative attitude of the mill owners and anti-workers policies of the government. When workers were protesting against removal of the workers outside Feroz Textile Mills in SITE areas, the police opened fire to disperse the workers, as a result one leader of the alliance of the workers of SITE industrial area, Muttahida Mazdoor Federation, Shoaib was killed on June 7, 1972.

On the occasion of funeral of that worker on June 8 a large number of labourers of all industrial estates of Karachi had gathered and they protested the police action a day ago. The police again opened fire on the workers, which killed five other workers.

The speakers said the 1972 movement was completely peaceful, but the government officials gave it a violent colour by opening fires on peaceful protesting workers. They said today's labour movement can get inspiration by remembering the sacrifices of the works in the past. They regretted that the conditions of workers in 2014 are worse than the conditions in 1972. As compared to the period 42 years ago, now only two to three percent workers are organised under the trade unions.

Senior labour leader Shafeeq Ghouri said the year 1972 can be remembered as very important for the labour movement of Pakistan. The first labour policy was also announced in the same year. He said the labour should take part in politics and this should be initiated from the local government elections, where labour leaders should be sent. He deplored that trade union movement has deteriorated in Pakistan. It is a fact that due to globalisation the trade unions are discouraged as most of labour are hired on contract system. Pocket unions are being encouraged in the industries in Pakistan.

Saeed Ahmed Khan of Sui Southern Gas Company Trade paid tributes to the deceased workers of 1972 movement and said it is a fact that two of the martyred workers were office bearers of their unions that proves that leaders were practically taking part in the movements.

Abdul Hai of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said industrial society is declining in Pakistan, which is the reason that labour movement is also missing. He said feudal bureaucracy has destroyed the human rights situation. A pressure is developed for implementation of Labour Policy. He said technical education is essential for the working class to get out of economic crisis. Labour leader Wakeel Khan Swati recalled the events of the labour movement and said the movement was not based on linguistic basis, but there was only one slogan: "Mazdoor - Bhai Bhai".

There were arrest warrants for labour leaders Usman Baloch and Karamat Ali, but they were provided protection in labour localities of Pashtoon speaking workers and police failed to arrest them because the labour was united at that time. The labour movement has been weakened and it is a failure of the labour movement that not a single labour leader has reached at the assemblies in the elections.

Muqtadar Zaman of Railway Mazdoor Union said during the government of Musharraf thousands of workers were removed from railway. Still workers are also facing many problems like price-hike, unemployment and lawlessness. Noorullah Khan Achakzai of Awami National Party, ANP said the industries in Karachi are at decline. In the budget the government has announced an increase of 10 percent in salaries; where as other expenses have increased by 60 percent.

Yousuf Khattak of Child Labour Rights and Welfare Organisation said no political party is working for rights of labour. In the past the political parties were training labour leaders and workers and send them to the assemblies. Now the political parties are not playing their role. Workers need to make a political party for organising workers.

Ishak Soomro of PILER explained the events of the labour movement of 1972 and said a memorial monument has been constructed at the graveyard in SITE where these workers are buried.

Sharafat Ali of PILER said S P Lodhi, Nabi Ahmed, Usman Baloch and other were the key leaders of the 1972 movement. Due to that labour movement, the workers received benefits in the form of raise in their wages and other compensations. This movement provided new directions to the labour movement. President of National Labour Federation Karachi Khalid Ahmed said the trade union movement is striving for the rights of labour in Pakistan. Shaikh Majeed of PIA Union Hassan Athar of Asian Human Rights Commission and others also spoke on the occasion.

Copyright News Network International, 2014


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