HYDERABAD, Dec 20: The All-Pakistan Trade Unions Organization has condemned the recent increases in petrol prices and the railway fare. In a joint statement issued here on Monday , the chairman of the organization, Bashir Ahmed, Sindh general secretary Mehboob Qureshi, and divisional general secretary Ashraf Rajput said transporters had already increased fares and a raise in prices of consumer goods was unavoidable.

They said people with insufficient means, who were already groaning under the weight of price hike, would not be able to make both ends meet. They said tall claims by the government that it had refused further financial assistance from the IMF had been fully exposed.

They said many a factory owners were not paying minimum wages fixed by the government under the Minimum Wages Act. They said even the existing facilities enjoyed by workers were being withdrawn and permanent workers were being replaced with contract employees.

They said mill owners had been encouraged due to the promulgation of the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002. They appealed to the president and prime minister to withdraw increase in prices of petrol and railway fare and repeal the IRO 2002.

They demanded that wages of workers be increased commensurate with increase in prices of essential goods and factory owners be directed to abide by labour laws.

PROTEST: Employees of the Sindh Seed Corporation along with their families staged a demonstration outside the office of the corporation on Monday in protest against the non-payment of their six months' salary. Talking to newsmen, they said employees were not being paid their wages but officials were maintaining cars and telephones on government expenses.