16 April 98 the District management supported by police force demolished the All Pakistan Trade Union Office. The office is located at 114 Gulberg Road, Industrial Area, Kashmir Road, Gulberg, Lahore. No warning was given by the police. Police aggressively attacked the workers and beaten them when they try to stop the demolition.
The police violently attacked the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF) union activists and the workers who tried to stop the demolition of their APTUF Office. These violence inflicted by the District management of the Pakistani government is not acceptable in any civilised society.
The police arrested APTUF General Secretary Ch.Gulzar Ahmed, Deputy General Secretary Lahore division, Mohd Ilyas, others five union activists and the executive committee member of the Working Women’s Organisation (WWO)Ms. Azra Shahid.
March 1998 the APTUF General Secretary Ch. Gulzar Ahmed participated in the \"Global March Against Child Labor\". He delivered a speech criticizing the government’s policies which results in mass unemployment and poverty, and child labor. Child labour is a sensitive isue in Pakistan – this may be the reason for the violent attacks!!
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF) is A National federation and almost 160 trade unions including Railway Workers Union. Many public and private sectors’ unions are affiliated with federation. The Federation is organizing the workers to struggle against injustice and exploitation. The Federation is opposing and agitating against privatization and all kind of anti people policies of the government.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Write protest letters ro the concern authorities to:
– Release immediately and unconditionally all detained union activists. – Apologize to the union for this injustice. – Compensate the union for destroying the equipment and accessories. – Rebuild the union office. – guarantee the right to organise, to bargain collectively and to peacefully express opinion.
SEND LETTERS TO:
Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Prime Minister House Islamabad-Pakistan Fax: 92-51-9207464 Fax: 92-42-5838008 Email: primeminister@pak.gov.pk
Shahbaza Shrarif, Chief Minister, Government of Punjab 7 club Road, Lahore – Pakistan. Fax: 92-42-9200160
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Federal Labor Minister Block D, Pak . Sectt, Islamabad Pakistan Tel: 92-51-9206040, 9210077 Fax: 92-51-9203043
Sher Dil Khan, Chief Secretary Civil Secretariat Lahore, Pakistan
SEND SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT LETTERS TO:
Gulzar Ahmed Choudary General Secretary All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, C/o Long Man PVT Limited 14-N Gulberg ii, Lahore 54660 -Pakistan, Fax: 92-42-7597397, 5712682
Sultan Khan APTUF E 36, St: 2, Iqbal Park, Walton Road, Lahore Cantt-Pakistan Tel: 92-42-6650416, 5712511 Fax: 92-42-5712682, 7597397
SAMPLE JOINT PROTEST LETTER
Re: Protest Against demolition of the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF) Office and detention of Trade unionist
23rd April, 1998
Dear Sir,
We are very concerned of that on 16 April 98 the District management supported by police force demolished the All Pakistan Trade Union Office. The office is located at 114 Gulberg Road, Industrial Area, Kashmir Road, Gulberg, Lahore. No warning was given by the police. Police aggressively attacked on workers and beaten them who stopped the authorities.
We strongly condemn the the violence inflicted by the police against the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF), the union activists and the workers who tried to stop the demolition of their APTUF Office. These violence inflicted by the District management of the Pakistani government is not acceptable in any civilised society.
The police arrested APTUF General Secretary Ch.Gulzar Ahmed, Deputy General Secretary Lahore division, Mohd Ilyas, others five union activists and the executive committee member of the Working Women’s Organisation (WWO)Ms. Azra Shahid.
We believe that All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF) is struggling hard to organize the workers to achieve their rights. The present situation of mass unemployment, poverty, child labour and workers’ exploitation needs to change. The APTUF continues peacefully organise and express that the Pakistani government needs to change its policies to improve the lives of the poor.
The government needs to guarantee the right to organise, to bargain collectively and to peacefully express opinion. We request Pakistan to implement the provisions of International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 87 on Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise.
The government is fully responsible for this violent incident, domolition of the APTUF office, and the detention of workers. We strongly demand the concerned authorities to: – Release immediately and unconditionally all union activists. – Apologize to the union for this injustice. – Compensate the union for destroying their office, equipment and accessories. – Rebuild the union office as soon as possible.
With the undersigning organisations: [your name (individuals), organisations]
Shum Yun Shan – Committee for Asian Women Sinapan Samydorai – Asian Human Rights Commisssion World Movement of Christian Workers (WMCW – ASEAN Region)
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN THE JOINT PROTEST LETTER, PLEASE put your name (individuals), organisations and post the message to Committee for Asian Women (CAW) SECRETARIAT ot the AHRC BY 23RD APRIL to: cawhk@hk.super.net OR ahrchk@ahrchk.org
The protest letter will be send to the following concerned authorities:
Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister Prime Minister House Islamabad-Pakistan Fax: 92-51-9207464 Fax: 92-42-5838008 Email: primeminister@pak.gov.pk
Shahbaza Shrarif, Chief Minister, Government of Punjab 7 club Road, Lahore – Pakistan. Fax: 92-42-9200160
Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed, Federal Labor Minister Block D, Pak . Sectt, Islamabad Pakistan Tel: 92-51-9206040, 9210077 Fax: 92-51-9203043
Sher Dil Khan, Chief Secretary Civil Secretariat Lahore, Pakistan
