Awami Workers Party (AWP) has announced to launch a protest against Deputy Commissioner (DC) Swabi for arresting labours under MPO-3, violating stay-order in favour of workers.
The protest demos will be started from the district and extend to the entire country against the policies bestowed the privileged class of the country.
Talking to media during a news conference here at Peshawar press club on Friday, Fanoos Gujar Central Chairman of party gave details of launching the protest demos and said that some 45 days back, a Tobacco company situated in Ismalia District had sacked some 141 labours sans any prior notice.
The labours, he said then started protest and staged a sit-in against the company’s illegal action against the workers, he added his party AWP had also supported them in their rights by participating in their protest in the area. “Though the workers got stay-order, the local administration arrested some 35 workers in connivance with tobacco board”, he alleged.
All the apprehended labours led by CBA union president Israrullah were shifted Dera Ismail Khan prison, he informed and condemned the arrest under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO-3), which compelled the AWP to launch the protest demo against the DC Swabi and the concerned company violating the stay-order as well as sacking the poor labours from their legal jobs without any notice and reasons.
Accompanied by the provincial president of the party Shahab Khattak Advocate and General Secretary Agha Bakhtiar, he alleged that the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government adopted the policy to reduce lands under cultivable crops of important tobacco, sugarcane and other and on directives of the government, purchasing of these crops were devaluated while full-fledged rates of the crops is not being given to the farmers.
The labour department was bound to resolve the issue between the company and the workers, which he alleged was supporting capitalists instead of poor workers and exploiting the labours.
The AWP’s president demanded for abolishing labours department and tobacco board to save the national treasure because they are of no use to poor workers.
Imran Khan, chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) stages protests and sit-ins in the name of rights but when labours raise voice for their rights, are arrested and putting them behind bars.