Pakistan: Countrywide visit of PTUDC leadership

The national leadership of the PTUDC including Chairman Riaz Hussain Baloch, Vice Chairman Qamar Uz Zaman Khan, General Secretary Nazar Mengal and Information Secretary Paras Jan embarked on a visit across the country for the unity of the working class. Many activities including labour conferences, seminars on workers’s issues, protest rallies, meetings with delegations of workers and others were held in different cities.

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Peshawar

The first program was a seminar organized by PTUDC Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa with the agenda “Attacks on the Workers and the Future of the Labour Movement”. PTUDC leadership along with comrade Ghufran Ahad Advocate from Malakand, Comrade Imran, Gen. Sec. of Railways Labour Union Peshawar Fazal-e-Qadir and Shahab Ullah Khattak addressed the gathering. The event was presided by the President PTUDC Pakhtoonkhwa and President Railway Labour union Peshawar Aamir Hashmi. The speakers condemned the privatization of Railways and other institutions and pressed upon the need of workers unity against the attacks. PTUDC has started the country wide visit and will bring on a socialist revolution which will emancipate the working class from Capitalism. Workers from water and sanitation department, Pakistan International Airlines and other departments. Also activists of PPP from various localities of Peshawar had also come to attend this seminar which was held in the premised of Railways School in Peshawar.

Seminar in Wah

In the industrial hub of Taxila Wah where Heavy Mechanical, Electrical and weapon industries are based a seminar was organized with title “Role of Trade Unions in Labour Movement”. The seminar was attended by workers and trade union activists from Ordnance Factory and from Taxila, Wah, Haripur, and other Industrial areas. A delegation from Telephone Industries of Pakistan TIP also came to attend this seminar. The speakers said that the trade union movement needs to be re organized on revolutionary basis in order to uproot the capitalist system and replace it with Socialism which is the only out of this misery.

Rawalpindi

RawalpindiA Labour Conference was organized in Rawalpindi with the agenda “Labour Movement and the Role of Trade Union Leadership”. Speakers and participants included Gen. Sec. of Capital Development Authority CBA Chaudhary Yasin, President Rawalpindi Division PTUDC and Railways Labour Union vice President Raja Imran, Comrade Changez Malik, PIA People’s Unity CBA Senior Vice President Comrade Shoaib Khan, Aqleem Khan from Oil and Gas workers union (OGDCL), Gen. Sec. Attock Oil Refinery Employees Union Abdul Rauf, President postal workers union Malik Shaukat Abbas, Information sec. Habib Marwat, President Postal Life Insurance Union Ishaq Marwat, Ghulam Muhammad Naz from Tehsil Municipal Administration, Taj Ali Kundi from Lakki Marwat Cement Factory, Muhammad Safdar from Pakistan Textile Workers, Muhammad Usman Sherazi from Telephone Industries of Pakistan Haripur, Malik Fateh Khan from Water And Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Hydro Union, Hina Zain from BNT and Malik Sajjad from PTUDC addressed the conference. The speakers said that the ruling class was making the workers pay the price of their failure and unity of the working class was the need of the time. All labour leaders praised the role of PTUDC in movements against privatisation and asked its leadership to give us a more concrete plan for further action. Many union leaders offered their offices and complete coordination with PTUDC in next activities. PTUDC leadership thanked these union leaders and urged for the unity of workers from various sectors and departments to fight against privatization and other anti labour policies jointly so that we can end this exploitation and misery of working class from Pakistan.

Formation of a committee comprising of all workers’ organizations from Islamabad/Rawalpindi was announced along with the formation of ‘Save the Railways Movement’. Conference ended by singing the Internationale

Before the conference PTUDC leadership visited the workers in Postal department, Railways and other to meet with delegations of workers and discuss strategy to fight against privatization.

Protest Rally and Seminar in Gujranwala

Report: Zahid Baryar

GujranwalaOn 12^th October a seminar was organized at Bakhtyar Labour Hall with the support of WAPDA Hydro Electric Union in which workers and trade union activists from Gujranwala, Daska and Sialkot participated, representing Football manufacturing industry, Surgical Instruments industry, from Labour Colony Sialkot, Coca Cola Employees Union Gujranwala, Revolutionary Workers Union Water And Sanitation Authority, WAPDA Town Employees Union, Habib Bank, Gujranwala Union of Journalists and other sectors. Along with the PTUDC leadership Changez Malik from PTUDC Rawalpindi, Vice President People’s Labour Bureau Punjab and central leader of Habib Bank Union Munawar Asim Bhatti, President Coca Cola Employees Union Qaisar Nadeem, President Gujranwala Union of Journalists Raja Habib, General Secretary Progressive Writers Association Imran Hashmi, WAPDA Town employees union Joint Secretary Mohsin Rafiq Butt, Labour leader from Sialkot Nasir Butt addressed the seminar while participants included Chaudry Masood Manzoor, Ashraf Buhtta Advocate from Peoples Lawyers Forum, Zahid Baryar, Dr. Umar Naseer, Sibghat Ullah, Comrade Khalid, Comrade Awais, Comrade Naveed, Kashif and Babu. Editor of Marxist Internet Archive Urdu section and translator of Das Capital in Urdu Professor Ibn-e-Hasan was the Chief Guest. Muneer Asri and Imran Hashmi recited their revolutionary poems. Comrade Adam Pal was stage secretary at the occasion.

The speakers said that the workers here are faced with oppression from the Capitalists. The workers have shown their power during the recent protest against power outages. A protest rally was organized after the seminar on G.T Road from Sangam crossing to Lorry Adda in which slogans of workers unity and against unemployment, price hike and privatisation were raised.

In evening a meeting of PTUDC leadership with delgation of Coca Cola Employees Union was held in which strategy for further work was discussed.

PTUDC Seminar in Faisalabad

Report: Rizwan Akhtar

A seminar was organized in the Industrial city of Faisalabad on 13^th October which was attended by a number of workers and trade union activists from different industries. Comrade Mujahid from PTCL was the stage secretary. Comrade Changez made the introductory speech about PTUDC. Rana Rafi from PTCL spoke about the issues faced by the workers and their struggle. The leadership of PTUDC also addressed the seminar. The seminar was attended by workers from Sitara Chemicals, Power looms workers union, Habib Bank and students from University of Agriculture Faisalabad.

Seminar in Lahore

Report: Comrade Qavi

LahoreA seminar was organized in the Lahore Press Club on 14^th October with the title “Problems of Workers in Pakistan and their Solution”. Amongst the speakers were the national leaders of PTUDC, Changez Malik, Chairman PTCL Lines Staff Union Sabir Butt, Vice President Pakistan Post NOPE Union Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Kashif from Punjab Professors and Lecturers’ Association, Amin Bhatti from PLB Punjab and PECO factory union, Central Gen. Sec. PLF Ilyas Khan, Javed Khokhar, Waqas and Muhammd Boota from Sher-e-Bengal labour colony. International secretary of PTUDC Dr. Lal Khan specially attended the seminar.

The speakers said that problems of the workers cannot be solved within capitalist system. Zafar Iqbal from Post put forwarded the demand for elections in Postal department which are not held for last 13 years, he also demanded right of vote for forty thousand postal workers. He criticized the anti worker role played by NIRC (National Industrial Relations Commission). Sabir butt from PTCL said that their profitable institution was privatized which resulted in dismissal of forty thousand workers. He said that privatization is a poison of this system which is killing workers from every department. He said that we should make collective effort to end this system. A resolution was passed to condemn privatisation and fake cases on workers leaders which was unanimously approved by the participants.

A banner of #occupy Lahore movement was displayed in the hall in support for # occupy wall street movement. A resolution was also passed unanimously to express solidarity with the Occupation Movements in United States. Comrade Adam Pal was the stage secretary.

PTUDC Leadership visits Muzaffargarh

Report: Ali Akbar

A seminar was organized on 15^th October with the title “Problems of Workers and their Solution” which was addressed by Chairman PTUDC Riaz Baloch, Vice Chairman Qamar Uz Zaman Khan, and Gen. Sec. Nazar Mengal, Information secretary Paras Jan, Chairman Hydro Union Hamayon Gujar, Gen. Sec. Workers Union TMA (municipality) Muzaffargarh Shafiq Maharvi and All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) Muzaffargarh Gen. Sec. Wazir Dashti. The speakers said power supply would be cut if privatization was not stopped. Resolutions were unanimously passed for workers control of institutions, reduction in weekly working hours from 48 to 35, reduction in defence budget, allocation of 60% budget on health and education and solidarity with “#Occupy Wall Street”. A committee was formed to organize the workers struggle comprising of Dr. Abdul Rasheed WAPDA Hydro Union, Saud Razaq from TMA, Ghulam Rasool Malana from Hydro Union Thermal, APCA district president Fazal Shakir, Mushtaq Shah from Waseb Organization, Ghulam Fareed Dasti from WAPDA operations, Meher Abdul Ghafoor Soomro President TMA and Hameed Akhtar from TMA Kot Addu.

Seminar in Multan

MultanA labour conference was organized in the evening of 15^th October in Bosan Town Labour hall which was addressed by the Leadership of PTUDC, member Federal Council PPP Haidar Abbas Gardezi, Agha Hussain from WAPDA, Jam Sajjad from PTCL , Muahid Hussain Pasha from WASA, Hafeez Ur Rehman from Nestle, Abdullah from Railways Workers Union, Jameel Ahmed Subhani from SES Teachers Union, Vice President PIA Peoples Unity Mian Fakhar Pirzada, Khalid Majeed from Post and students leaders from PSF. Resolutions were passed for Nationalization of Institutions, Provision of Cheap electricity, linking of minimum wage to price of 12 grams gold, reduction in defence budget, restoration of dismissed workers, end to Benazir Public Private Partnership scheme, end to privatization, registration of FIR against the Chief Minister and Inspector General Police of Punjab for the murder of Lady Health Worker in Lahore and in solidarity of #Occupy Wall Street movement. In the end one minute silence was observed for the murdered Lady Health Worker.

Seminar ended by singing the Internationale

PTUDC Leadership visits Rahim Yar Khan

Report: Jam Saleem Ur Rehman

Rahim Yar KhanA Labour conference was organized by PTUDC on 16^th October. The conference was addressed by the National leadership of PTUDC, Gen, Sec. PTUDC south Punjab Ali Akbar, Gen. sec. National Federation of Food, Beverages and Tobacco workers Saeed Zaman, APCA district President Muhammad Boota, Mehboob Khan from APCA, Gen. sec. Workers Alliance CBA Coca Cola factory Rahim Yar Khan Ehsan Qadri, Amanat Ali Foji from Rickshaw Union, Samee Baloch, President Unilever Employees Union Muhammad Ibrahim, Haji Murad from united Sugar Mill, organizer YFIS Bilal Sabir,, Gen. sec. All Pakistan Irrigation Federation Muhammad Rauf, Gen. Sec. Revolutionary Workers Union Unilever Zulfiqar Ali, President District bar Association Hassan Nawaz Niazi, Habib Chandya, Nadim Tahir from Unilever, President Employees union Coca Cola Khalid Parvez, Mian Faisal from People’s Youth, Muhammad Farid Arshad, President Employees Union CBA Unilever Khalid Parvez, Mazhar Chattah from Teachers Union and Gen. Sec. Workers Alliance Union Coca Cola Factory Rahim Yar Khan Ahsan Ali Qadri, Saeed Zaman was the chief guest. The speakers spoke about the problems faced the workers and stated that Socialism was the only solution. Resolutions were passed in solidarity with Arab Revolution and Occupation movements all over the world, condemning IMF and World Bank, for an end to Capitalism and Feudalism, demanding construction of Labour Hall, Restoration of sacked workers in Nestle and PTCL including Amjad Bhutto and for the organization of workers study circles in all industries and departments.

Conference ended by singing the Internationale

Labour conference in Khairpur Meerus

Report: Saeed Khaskheli

A Labour conference was organized in Khairpur Meerus on 18^th October with the title “Price hike, Unemployment and Fundamental Problems of Workers and Youth and their Solution” in the Press Club. The conference was attended by more than 150 youth, workers and trade union activists representing 15 unions from Khairpur, Sukkur and Ghotki. The conference was presided over by Chairman PTUDC Riaz Lund and Information Secretary Paras Jan was the Chief Guest. Speakers included Comrade Anwar Panhwar, Ali Akarm, Shahbaz Phulpoto, Prof. Munawar Talpur and Advocate Imtiaz Ali Shah. Ijaz Abbasi was the stage secretary. The speakers said Socialism was the only solution to the problems faced by the working class and all workers would have to unite in this fight.

Seminar in Hyderabad

Report: Hanif Misrani

HyderabadIn Hyderabad a seminar was organized on 20^th October with the title “War against Privatization, Price hike and Poverty”. The seminar was attended by a number of workers, women, youth, students and trade union activists and was presided over by Chairman PTUDC Riaz Lund. Amongst the speakers were Vice Chairman WAPDA Hydro Union Thermal Powerhouse Shabir Ahmad Chandiyo, Divisional Gen. Sec. Railway Mehnatkash Union Niaz Ahmed Khaskheli, Chairman of Dadex Factory Employees Union Akhtar Ghulam Ali, and Provincial Gen. Sec. Meeral Bargari, Eesar Das from Hyderbad Development Authority, Abdul Razzaq Laghari from PTCL Lines Unity, PTUDC district President Pir Muhammad Sindhi, Provincial Gen. Sec. Jai Parkash, Provincial President Anwar Panhwar and Central Information Secretary Paras Jan. The speakers said that Socialism could solve all the problems faced by working class and the only Solution is a World Socialist Revolution. Following resolutions were unanimously passed

End to Privatization
Stop the privatization process of Power houses
Democratic control of Workers on WAPDA
Democratic Control of Workers in Railways and expulsion of the bureaucracy
Payment of 4 months’ salary to HDA workers.
Clerks of all departments to be given time scale and all demands of APCA to be met
Tenancy bonus for all workers of Dadex factory should be paid
Case should be registered against the Prime Minister and Punjab Chief Minister for the murder of lady health worker in Lahore
End to contract labour, all workers to be made permanent
Registration of all unemployed people and provision of unemployment allowance
End to class based education system. Free and compulsory for all on all levels
End to child labour and declaring it a crime.

Before conference a seminar of workers was also held and also PTUDC leadership visited Jamshoro Power house and met with a delegation of workers to discuss the strategy to fight against the privatisation of Power houses.

Labour Conference in Karachi

Report: Aalam Ayub

KarachiOn 23^rd October a Labour Conference was organized in PMA hall Karachi with the title “Future of Labour Movement in Pakistan and the Role of Trade Union”. President Workers’ Confederation Sindh Noor Muhammad, Gen. Sec. State Bank CBA Liaqat Sahi, Fateh Soomro, Latif Mughal, Aziz Ur Rehman, Shaukat San Bhal and Gul Muhammad from Karachi Electric Supply company (KESC), Shaikh Majeed from PIA, Manzoor Mallah from Railways, Zubair Rehman from Journalist Union, Khuda Bakhash Baloch from Metropolitan Steel, Qum Abbas Zaidi and Wahab Baloch from UBL, Akbar Memon from Pakistan Steel, Rosa Nuzhat and Ayub Qureshi addressed the conference. PTUDC leaders Riaz Baloch, Paras Jan, Zubair Rehman, Akbar Memon, Hardil Kumar, Tariq Watanyar and others also made their speeches. The speakers appreciated the role of PTUDC and pressed upon the need for a united fight against anti workers polices including privatization. Labour leaders urged PTUDC leadership to organise study circles in their departments to educate workers about their rights and this draconian Capitalist system. Some speakers also criticized the role of trade union leaders who compromised the struggle of workers for their personal benefits. They said that such leaders are curse for workers of Pakistan and due to them the process of privatisation is till haunting millions of people in Pakistan. Leaders from various sectors shed light on the movements in their departments and said that there is an urgent need to united all these separate movement on common grounds and PTUDC can play an important role in it. Comrade Paras Jan gave a detail report of his country wide visit and said that it was a success and we have taken an initiative to unite the working class of Pakistan for which we have got a tremendous response. He reported his meetings with various delegations of workers from various sectors and said that all workers wanted to fight but rotten leaders in some trade unions are a big hurdle. He said that once workers will start to move this rotten leadership will be overthrown and genuine representatives of workers will come forward to lead them towards a revolution. PTUDC leadership also condemned the callous attitude of government towards Railways and said that these corrupt rulers have stolen cheap transport from masses. They also condemned the role of Railways minister who is leading all this corrupting and exploitation.

PTUDC chairman Riaz Hussain Lund Baloch also condemned the role of present PPP leadership which has betrayed from its slogan of Roti, Kapra and Makan. He said that party was founded on socialist ideas but still in its 4^th term in power this promise is undelivered. He urged the workers and trade union leaders to come forward against this exploitation and carry out a struggle against Capitalism. He praised the struggle of workers around the world against Capitalism and said that we proudly support them in this struggle and only way out is to overthrow this rotten capitalist system through a socialist revolution. During the conference news of the death of Nusrat Bhutto, wife of late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, came after which a silence of one minute was observed.