PTI MPA seeks across-the-board accountability

Labour Day

Labour leaders remember Chicago martyrs

PESHAWAR: Holding the ruling clique responsible for the exploitation of labourers and poor segments of the society, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s dissident Member Provincial Assembly Javed Nasim on Sunday said across-the-board accountability was crucial to eradicating corruption.

Speaking as chief guest at a seminar, he said the successive governments were responsible for injustices in the society and problems of the general public. The seminar was organised in connection with the International Labour Day at the Peshawar Press Club.

The outspoken lawmaker said the ruling class consisting of two percent of the population was exploiting the poor and the PTI-led provincial government was no exception.He accused the provincial government of massive corruption and claimed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission was made dysfunctional as it was initiating probe against 12 ministers and 22 MPAs.

He challenged the claims of framing laws and passing record number of bills and questioned how many people benefited from these laws. The electorate was always deceived through catchy slogans of change, roti, kapra aur makaan and Islamization, etc, but nobody worked for the welfare of poor people,” he argued.

Lashing out at the PTI chief, the MPA said Imran Khan embraced landlords, industrialists and capitalists and there was no place for the poor in his party. However, he said the time had come to bring the corrupt to book. “Along with those mentioned in Panama Papers, the cases of Bani Gala and Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital should also be investigated,” he demanded.

Javed Nasim said the provincial ministers had rented or purchased houses in Islamabad and their families were living in the federal capital due to fear. He remarked this showed how exemplary was the law and order situation in the province.

Earlier in his address, special assistant to the chief minister, Arif Yousaf, termed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s performance ideal by arguing that it had done record legislation and passed 105 bills so far, including the Right to Information Bill, Right to Services and Local Governments Bill and delegating power to grassroots level. He said 99 percent of the PTI MPAs belonged to the masses.

He added that the labourers were backbone of the country’s economy and progress and prosperity without them was impossible. He said this was reason the government was taking practical steps for their welfare. Terming the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission an exemplary institution, he said it was being strengthened though amendments. There was no option of bargaining or compromise with the accused in the Ehtesab Commission’s rules, he added.

Ex-district nazim, Malakand, Ghufran Advocate who presided over the function lauded the sacrifices of the Chicago martyrs and said 130 years ago in 1886 the labourers rose against the cruel industrial policies of 16 to 18 hours working. “The peaceful protesters holding white flags were demanding their rights but the cruel police fired at them. They sacrificed their life but the labourers won their rights and the working hours were reduced to eight hours,” he recalled.

He said observing the Labour Day refreshed the resolve to struggle for the rights of labourers. He said the workers’ blood and sweat was instrumental in running the country and building the infrastructure.

Urging the labourers to forge unity in their ranks, he said only two percent people were exploiting them. He added that 12 percent people were involved in politics while the remaining were the voters who elect them to power.

The All Pakistan Clerk Association president Aslam Khan and Gul Zamin, provincial president PWD (C&W Department) which had organized the function, also paid tributes to the Chicago martyrs and resolved to follow in their footsteps for winning the rights of labourers.

They demanded implementation of the deceased sons’ quota in jobs, recruitment of class-IV employees at district level and increase in salaries according to the inflation. Later, the participants staged a walk up to the Benevolent Fund Building from the Peshawar Press Club to mark the Labour Day.