Pakistan John McDonnell MP issues Early Day Motion in support of PTCL workers

As we reported last week, John McDonnell MP was planning to issue an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons regarding the campaign against privatisation of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. We are pleased to produce the text for our readers. The aim of the Early Day Motion is to highlight the issue and to gather support from other Members of Parliament as a means of putting pressure on the British and Pakistani governments. (June 22, 2005)

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EDM357

PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT AND TELECOMMUNICATION TRADE UNIONISTS 16.06.2005

McDonnell, John

That this House condemns the attack launched this month by the Pakistani Government on trade unionists campaigning against the privatisation of the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd, which has led to the lock-out of workers, occupation of depots by troops and the arrest of trade unionists; supports the protests by members of the Pakistani Parliament led by Manzoor Ahmed against this violation of trade union rights; and calls upon the UK Government to do all it can to impress upon the Pakistani Government the need to respect trade union rights.

Signed by:

John McDonnell
Peter Bottomley
Jeremy Corbyn
Graham Stringer
John Cummings

See also:

• Marxist MP Manzoor Ahmed challenges the regime on PTCL privatization (June 13, 2005)
• Pakistan: The experience of the PTCL workers’ struggle By Lal Khan (June 8)
• Pakistan: The PTCL strike and the role of the Marxists (June 5, 2005)
• PTCL strike in Pakistan: This is class war! We must fight until the final victory! (May 27, 2005)