More than 55 percent Powerlooms remained closed since last ten days in industrial city, while three lakh workers most of them daily wagers are still jobless and facing worst ever situation. A daily wager Abdul Rashid, who was father of six children committed suicide in Sidhupura due to prolongs hunger and joblessness.
Talking to newsmen, Mian Abdul Qayyum, President, Pakistan Textile Workers Union disclosed that approximately, 150,000 powerlooms are still closed since last ten days in various industrial areas of Faisalabad Division and affected workers are committing suicide. Due to prevailing crisis of textile industry 10 industrial workers committed suicide during the last six months and government and industrialists do not bother to solve the issues, he added.
Mian Qayyum said that the daily wagers are facing severe difficulties to run the life cycle. Millions of industrial workers are getting a monthly salary ranging from Rs 4000 to Rs 5500 per month, which shows that the concerned authorities do not fulfil their promises for implementation of recommendations of minimum wage board of Punjab. Mian Qayyum, who is also Chairman of Labour Qaumi Movement Pakistan demanded that a high level Wages & Labour Laws implementation Committee should be constituted by giving representation of labour leaders in all the provinces. Furthermore the inspection powers of Old age benefit and Social security Institutions should be restored immediately.