Call to introduce economic, social reforms

LAHORE:Working class demanded the government introduce far-reaching economic and social reforms to ensure economic and social justice to the working class as proclaimed in the preamble of the Constitution of Pakistan.

They demanded the government abolish abject poverty, aggravating unemployment, ignorance, widening irrational gap between the rich and the poor in the society, introduce agrarian reforms, allocate land to landless peasants, work towards well-being of peasants, check hike in prices of essential items of daily use and freeze their prices, raise the wages and pension of government, semi-government employees.

They raised these demands in the National Delegates Conference of All Pakistan Workers Confederation (Regd) held on Monday at Bakhtiar Labour Hall. Hundreds of workers and representatives of the affiliated trade union from all the provinces attended the moot.

The event was presided over by Abdul Lateef Nizamani, Chairman of the Confederation. Veteran Trade Union leader Khurshid Ahmad, General Secretary of the Confederation along with the workers’ representatives appealed to the workers to unite to overcome challenges such as heavy foreign debt of IMF and World Bank which have been pushing for privatisation of public utilities.

Khurshid Ahmad pointed out the need to amend labour laws and bring them in conformity with ILO conventions ratified by the Government of Pakistan, restore free medical facilities to the workers after their superannuation under Social Security Employees Ordinance and hold a tripartite Labour Conference in conformity with ILO Convention No. 144 ratified by the government. Veteran journalist and human rights activist IA Rehman addressed the inaugural session of the conference.