LAHORE: Like other parts of the country, International Labour Day was observed in the provincial capital on Wednesday to express solidarity and honour the rights of the labour class.
Rallies were taken out in various parts of the provincial capital by different organizations, students and political parties including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Pakistan Workers Federation Punjab chapter, Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF) and Youth Forum for Kashmir.
The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with different slogans in the favour of labour community.
The purpose of observing this day is to initiate steps for providing job protection to labourers and industrial workers against any exploitation.
All public and private educational institutions, markets, and other work places remained closed to observe the day, as a public holiday.
The Punjab Home Department also directed the authorities concerned to provide foolproof security to the participants of rallies and walks on Labour Day.
Bonded Labour Liberation Front Pakistan (BLLF) also took out a rally on The Mall Road which was participated by a large number of brick kiln workers from all over Punjab, lawyers, students, trade unionists and representatives of civil society organizations to observe the International Labour Day.
The BLLF President Ms. Martha Perveen, Vice President Advocate Naik Muhammad, Secretary General Ms. Syeda Ghulam Fatima, Executive Committee members Mahar Safdar Ali and Advocate Ayaz Hussain and Programme Officer Muhammad Shahbaz addressed the rally. They highlighted the problems of the brick kiln workers and also put forth various suggestions to the government to resolve these.
Youth Forum for Kashmir (YFK) organized a ceremony at Aiwan-i-Kashmir. The YFK Chief Organizer Tariq Ehsaan Ghauri chaired the ceremony while Kashmir Labour Ittehad (KLI) President Khalid Hussain, WASA Union Chairman Aslam Bhatti, Dharmindar and Rasheed Baig attended it.
