FAISALABAD As many as 17 labourers working in powerloom units were injured when police resorted to tear-gas shelling and baton-charge to disperse more than 5,000 workers demonstrating for a pay raise on Tuesday.

The police also resorted to aerial firing when the protesters pelted their vehicles and personnel with stones in Faizabad after policemen tried to stop them from moving to Clock Tower Chowk. Ghulam Mohammad Abad SHO was reportedly injured when a stone thrown by protesters hit him.
 
Responding to the protest call given by the Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM), powerloom workers from Sadhar, Faizabad, Jhang Road, Samundri Road, Ghulam Mohammad Abad and other areas took out rallies carrying banners inscribed with slogans in favour of their demands.

The workers also sought government intervention to press powerloom owners for raising their wages. Because of the rallies, massive traffic jams were witnessed on almost all main city roads.

The labourers staged rallies despite the imposition of Section 144 in the district by DCO Nasim Sadiq, banning all sorts of public gathering on Monday after the killing of two Christian brothers who were accused of blasphemy.

The LQM claimed scores of labourers were injured in police firing and over 100 taken into custody. Police denied the claim.

The protesters also tried to set a weaving factory on fire in Sadhar after the owners refused to shut it down.

The factory guards reportedly resorted to aerial firing to scare off the furious workers. In an ensuing scuffle between protesters and the guards four labourers were injured.

The protesters dispersed as the DCO held talks with them and assured them that their demands would be met.

The DCO has convened a meeting of representatives of labourers and factory owners at his office on Wednesday (today) to settle the issue.