Pakistan Labour Federation (PLF), NWFP chapter, on Wednesday staged a protest demonstration against sky rocketing price hike, growing unemployment and lawlessness in the country. Provincial president of the federation Abdul Rab Sabir led the demonstrators.
The demonstration started from Chowk Suikarno, Khyber Bazaar and marched till Peshawar Press Club (PPC) where it converted into a public meeting. They were chanting slogans against price hike, unemployment and lawlessness and carrying banners and placards inscribed slogans in favour of their demands. The protesters on reaching at Peshawar Press Club (PPC) blocked main Sher Shah Soori Road connecting city and cantonment areas for all kind of vehicular traffic.
Addressing the protesting labourers, president Pakistan Labour Federation, NWFP chapter, Abdul Rab Sabir criticised both federal and provincial governments for exploiting people in the name of so-called democracy. He said that on the one hand poverty, unemployment and lawlessness had made the lives of the people miserable, and on the other hand profitable national assets were being sold to earn kickbacks for the rulers.
The labour leader alleged that during last four years of the so-called democratic setup, the legislators of all political parties have failed to come up to the expectations of their electorates. "The assemblies have failed in the protection of the rights of the people and have done only one thing that was increase in the perk and privileges of the public representatives," he lamented. Abdul Rab Sabir rejected Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO) 2002, saying that it had snatched the rights of labour community.