PML-N’s high-handed approach
Trade union strikes are by no means uncommon. Last year in July and August there were two strikes by underground railway workers in London. Millions of office worker, students, tourists and common people travel daily in the city’s underground trains. The authorities patiently held talks with the union leaders. Finally a compromise was reached and the trains started running as usual. Reacting to the PIA strike on Monday, a federal minister called the strikers “enemies of PIA and Pakistan”, threatening them with the loss of their jobs. Similarly strong language was used by another minister. In democracies the Prime Minister is looked at as an impartial arbitrator. Nawaz Sharif however chose to react like his ministers, threatening that the strikers would be fired and sent to jail for a year.
The autocratic attitudes penetrated down to the law enforcers, who baton charged the protesters, used water cannons and then opened fire, resulting in the death of three strikers. The government’s over-reaction amounted to pouring oil on the fire. On Wednesday, those workers who would not have otherwise joined the protest went on strike leading to the closure of all PIA flights at all airports.
There is a need on the part of both sides to relinquish their extremist stands. The union leaders and government reps need to sit down and discuss how to save the national flag carrier. As the Prime Minister is no more seen as a neutral referee, there is a need for others to mediate. The NA parliamentary committee on PIA, formed to deal with the issue in January, failed to find a way out allegedly because of obstructions created by the government. The offer of mediation by Sindh CM should, therefore, be accepted. It is strongly held by many that privatisation alone can save PIA. Any alternate plan that the union leaders might posses should also be discussed. While the talks continue, the strike should be called off and no action should be taken against any PIA employee involved in strike.
Mediation offer by CM Sind is one of the most irrelevant and absurd idea. He failed to control L&O in the Province – nay in a city like Karachi. He will mediate ? People are dying of hunger in Thar and the toll in increasing. He may have pushed by someone in exile to protect the PPP 'parchi' employees.
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