PESHAWAR, May 1: Labour unions on Wednesday organised the Labour Day processions, rallies and seminars across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amid calls by workers for better wages and protection.

The main event of the day in Peshawar was a rally of workers organised by Pakistan Workers Federation on Sher Shah Soori Road.

Holding banners and placards and shouting slogans, participants later gathered outside Peshawar Press Club, where labour leaders delivered speeches highlighting the sacrifices of Chicago workers in 1886.

The speakers, including Pakistan Wapda Hydro Union leaders Gohar Taj, Haji Mohammad Iqbal, Mustajab Mazdoor Yar and Ali Said, Khyber Union of Journalists Union’s general secretary Ali Hazrat Bacha and Hydro Union’s spokesman Gohar Ali Gohar, highlighted sacrifices of Chicago workers and expressed the hope that labourers would forge unity to raise a forceful voice for due rights and discourage forced labour.

They said the Labour Day was meant to remind workers that rights were not demanded but snatched and for that, workers would have to get united.

The speakers said inflation rate was on the rise but wages paid to workers had not been revised over the years stressing them out.

They asked the government to increase the workers’ minimum monthly salary to Rs15,000, double all their allowances and offer them better facilities. The speakers condemned the recent acts of kidnapping, killing and injuring of Wapda workers and urged the government to recover the kidnapped Wapda workers, compensate the affected families and ensure protection of employees.

Also in the day, Pakistan Railways Workers Union, Peshawar division and Khyber Rickshaw Drivers Union took out separate rallies outside Peshawar Press Club in connection with the Labour Day to pay tribute to Chicago workers.

The speakers, including Murad Khan, Ismail Khan, Syed Ashfaq Bacha and Farhad Khan, criticised the successive governments for ignoring the workers’ rights and asked the people to come forward, forge unity and raise collective voice for the rights of the oppressed workers.

Rotaract Club of UET, Peshawar distributed food and tea to labourers in Peshawar and Abbottabad.

The club also distributed pamphlets about importance of labours to the people in the two cities.

The organisers said the people should remember that without labourers, the nation could not progress and therefore, labourers should give them respect.

In Buner district, too, many Labour Day functions were organised.

Pakistan Workers Federation organised a function at Daggar Press Club, where PWF district chairman Ajmal Khan and cabinet members complained that labourers of marble factories and mines were exposed to threats to their life at workplaces due to unavailability of safety gears and that they were denied additional payment for excessive work.

The speakers said they would continue working for the labourers’ rights.

In Parachinar, local residents, especially workers, took out a Labour Day rally.

Holding placards and banners and shouting slogans in favour of labour rights, participants reached Parachinar Press Club by marching through the city.

Labour leaders Latif Bangash and Intizar Hussain told participants that workers were denied due rights.

They urged the government to take tangible steps for improving life of workers.

In Swabi, Pakistan Workers Federation organised a function to mark Labour Day.

The speakers, including PWF central leader Aslam Adil and provincial leader Shaukat Ali Anjum, demanded strict enforcement of labour laws and provision of facilities to workers.

They said industrialists of Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate had exploited workers and since most of them were from Punjab, they could not raise voice against exploitation for fear of expulsion.

The speakers demanded that the federal and provincial governments check violation of labour laws in Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate.

In Karak, Green Wish Club of Khushal Khan Khattak University held a function to mark Labour Day, where students showed up in large numbers.

Faculty adviser of Green Wish Club Shagufta Naz said the function was organised to express solidarity with labourers.

In Mingora, too, Labour Day was observed.

Non-governmental organisation Nawjawanan Amn Tehrik organised a walk, which began from Green Chowk and ended in front of Swat Press Club after passing through various roads.

Participants held placards and shouted slogans for grant of due legal and constitutional rights to workers.

NAT leaders Ziaur Rehman, Dr Khalid Mehmood and Mohammad Zahid told participants that labourers were playing a key role in the country’s economic development but unfortunately, industrialists were exploiting their rights.

He said labourers were deprived of their rights by and large.

The speakers called for protection of labour rights by the government.

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