HYDERABAD, Oct 26: A large number of workers under the banner of Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign staged a protest demonstration outside the Hyderabad Press Club here on Tuesday against the Industrial Relations Ordinance, 2002.

Speaking on the occasion, labour leaders Pir Mohammad Sindhi, Idris Shah, Munawwar Pitafi, Ghulam Rasool Memon and others demanded that the IRO-2002 be repealed immediately to eliminate unrest among the workers.

They called it was an anti-worker law under which the working class had been deprived of its right to form trade unions. They said workers were being economically crippled on the pretext of downsizing and rightsizing. They said that 7,000 factories were lying closed in the country and under foreign pressure the government had introduced the policy of privatization.

MIRPURKHAS: A black day was observed and a demonstration was held at the Post Office Chowk by the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign here on Tuesday to protest against the Industrial Relations Ordinance-2002.

Talking to protesters, leaders of different trade unions and political parties criticized President Gen Pervez Musharraf for promulgating the ordinance which they said was aimed at preventing labourers from holding trade union activities.

They said thousands of labourers had been sacked under this ordinance.

They said they would support a campaign launched by MNA Manzoor Ahmad against what they called the black law.

Among others, Fazal Malik, Juma Khan, Mehfooz Ali, Sadiq Mansoori, Akbar Panhwar, Mangal Pretan, Noor Hassan Chandio, Pershotam Das, Nazeer Detho, Akbar Khan Pathan, Mohammad Haneef, Wassomal, Imran and Madan spoke on the occasion.

KHAIRPUR: The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign, Khairpur, took out a procession on Tuesday to protest against the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002 and Compulsory Retirement Ordinance 2000.

Hundreds of employees, including women, participated in the procession that started from the Phool Bagh to terminate at the Panj Gola Chowk, where protesters staged a sit-in, blocking the roundabout.

Speaking to the protesters, labour leaders Mohammad Ali Phulpoto, Aijaz Abbas, Feroze, Bagh Ali Jalbani, Zawar Muhib Ali and others, claimed that the ordinances were 'black' laws and against the interest of workers, and demanded that they should be revoked.

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