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34 activists held and 1,300 booked

LAHORE - At least 34 trade and labour union activists and leaders have been arrested during last one week all over the province including the City. Besides, police have registered cases against 1,300 workers due to their involvement in unionism.
The Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) and National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUFP) have said the police have conducted late night raids at the homes of union leaders and arrested over 34 labour union workers, who are active in organising the unions in their respective industries.
They pointed out that there seemed to be no difference between the Musharaf dictatorship and present democratic Punjab government when it comes to the workers rights. “It is shameful on the part of the Shahbaz Sharif government that workers are being arrested on the behest of owners of factories just because they are organising themselves,” they maintained.
They said that 30 activists of Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM), a Faisalabad-based labour organisation of textile workers, have been arrested on fake charges of murder attempt, dacoity and kidnapping for ransom.
They further told the two main leaders of LQM, Rana Tahir and Raja Arshad have also been arrested adding their real crime was to establish a union at Kamal Textile Mills, Faisalabad.
Labour Party Pakistan spokesperson Farooq Tariq during a Press conference at Lahore Press Club said that four trade union leaders were arrested in Lahore including Niaz Khan, general secretary of Ittehad Labour Union Carpet Industries Pakistan and leader of National Trade Union Federation.
He said Niaz Khan had been warned by the CIA for his involvement in workers’ protest at Interwood factory. The others who were arrested include Khurram Shahzad, Abdul Qadir and Amanat Ali, he added.
Amanat Ali, father of another union activist Khurram Shahzad, was shamelessly arrested when police could not find Khurram, Farooq informed adding police have been raiding homes of Interwood workers union since the last night. Even Police misbehaved with females when they raided the houses of union leaders Ghulam Abbas and Muhammad Akram, he added.

The Nation : Published: May 27, 2009