PAKISTAN: More than one hundred thousand power loom workers are on strike and the government failed to increase the wages according to its own announcement

Dear friends, 

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that more than 100,000 workers of power looms in Faisalabad district of Punjab province are on strike since July 20 to ask for an increase of the wages, as announced by the government. To deal with the striking workers the Punjab provincial government has reshuffled the administration and police of Faisalabad district, to deal strongly against the striking workers and to provide the strike from spreading to other districts of the province, where more than 600,000 workers are engaged in power loom industry. The four leaders of the movement were taken into the custody by the police and illegally kept in the police station. It is feared that the leaders would have been killed in a fake police encounter, as within 10 days, during the reshuffle in administration, one labour leader of power loom workers and his brother, as well as two Christian brothers were murdered by unknown persons in day light. 

On the first day of the strike, the employers/owners of the power loom factories pelted the striking workers with stones and injured many who were peacefully protesting. The police used batons and tear gas shells resulting in more than 25 workers being injured, including the leader of the striking workers. The police have arrested more than 100 workers. 

The another round of talks between the workers and the owners of the factories under the district coordinating officer of Faisalabad failed because of the adamant attitude of the owners who were demanding the arrests of all the leaders of Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM). The Chief Minister of Punjab has threatened the striking workers that the disturbance of law and order can not be tolerated. 

CASE NARRATIVE: 

More than 100,000 workers of power loom in Faisalabad district of Punjab province are on strike since July 20, 2010 for an increase of wages which had been announced by the government during the presentation of budget 2010-11. The government announced 17 % rise in the minimum wage for the private sector workers. Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM), an organization of power loom workers in Faisalabad, Jhang and other districts, had been in negotiation with power loom owners since the last three weeks for wage increase. These negotiations were facilitated by the district administrations in both districts. The power loom employers are not accepting these just demands and are spreading poisonous propaganda against workers by labeling them as terrorists. 

The four leaders of the striking workers, Mr. Fazal Illahi, president of LQM, Sudhar, Mr. Akbar Kamboh, Mohammad Riaz and Mr. Baber, were illegally arrested by the Thekri Wala police station, Sudhar, Faisalabad without any First Information Report (FIR) and kept in police lock up without any charges. 

It is reported that during the strike the workers remained peaceful but the owners of factories and their henchmen and police remained violent against the striking workers. This resulted in the murder of a trade union leader, Mr. Mustansir Randhawa and his brothers during the negotiations. On July 20, the owners and their henchmen resorted to violence by throwing stones and bricks on the peaceful march of workers from one side of the protest, while police used tear gas shells on the workers from the other end. 25 workers were injured including Mr. Tahir Rana, the leader of the movement, who was critically injured. Around 100 workers were also arrested. 

The print and electronic media reported that thousands of workers from different areas of Faisalabad district have marched despite a police ban on public gatherings. As the workers began their march, gangsters of power loom owners started straight firing at the striking workers in Sudhar area of Faisalabad. Sudhar is the suburb of Faisalabad where a big number of power loom factories is located. This area has been a scuffle ground between workers and owners for the last three years as the workers organized themselves effectively in huge number there. 

Police have used tear gas and charged with batons in Faizabad and Ghulam Muhammadabad areas of Faisalabad without any provocation coming from the protesters. In one such attack on workers in Faizabad area, Rana Tahir, the district president of LQM in Faisalabad, was injured along with score of others. 25 workers have been injured so far by police tear gas and lathi charge. 

In Jhang district, thousands of workers along with their families, including women and children, have picketed outside the District Administration Officer’s office and are sitting there until the demands of workers are accepted. 

A new round of talks was held under the district coordinating officer (DCO) between representatives of the workers and owners of the power loom factories and failed again before the refusal of the owners to increase the wages. The owners were demanding the arrest of the leaders of the power loom workers and LQM. The administration of the district obeyed to the owners and arrested the leaders of the LQM, rather than implementing the 17% increase that the government promised. 

The power looms owners in Jhang district have bought a half-page advertisement in one of the largest circulated newspaper, the Daily Express Faisalabad, asking the government to disband the workers’ movement. They alleged that Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM) is linked to Mutihida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a sectarian mass organization in Karachi and is part of the coalition government at Center and in Sindh province. The owners claimed that the 15 days strike has cost them over 9 billion Rupees and that 15,000 power looms factories are closed. 

The chief minister of Punjab province has threatened the striking workers to heavily repress the strike, arguing that they are disturbing the law and order. The chief minister also refused to implement the announced policy of wages increase. He suggested the workers ask an increase of their wages from the federal government. 

It is to be mentioned here that during the month of July 2010, within a span of 12 days, a trade union leader, Mr. Mustansar Randhawa and his brother were shot dead by unknown persons outside the trade union office where negotiations were held on July 6. On July 2, two Christian brothers were also shot dead in the court premises in the day time by unknown persons. 

SUGGESTED ACTION: 

Please right the letters to the authorities to ask them to implement the 17% increase of wages for 600,000 workers of power looms from Faisalabad, Jhang and Toba Tek Singh districts, as announced by the federal government in June. Please urge upon the authorities to stop violence against the striking workers and respect their labour rights and right to strike, which are guaranteed by the constitution of Pakistan. 

The AHRC writes a separate letter to UN Special Rapporteur on the Question of Labour Rights calling for his intervention into this case. 

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