Two comrades of the PTUDC have been illegally arrested whilst distributing leaflets outside the Karachi Pakistan Steel plant. They have been beaten and subjected to torture by security personnel and are currently being held at a police station. The PTUDC are demanding their release and asking for solidarity from workers around the world.
Today 22nd June at 7 a.m in the morning comrade R.B. Chandiyo and comrade Paul John from PTUDC (Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign) were distributing leaflets among the workers of Pakistan Steel in Karachi which is the largest steel producing complex in Pakistan. The demands in the leaflet were to regularize the workers that have been working in the factory on daily wages for 20 years now. The demands also included an end to the privatization process of Pakistan Steel. When the comrades reached the T Junction (Main gate of the factory) the security personnel arrested these two comrades, although the security of the factory is not authorized by law to make any arrests. They were taken to the security office where they were subjected to harsh treatment and brutal torture. After keeping then in the security office for 4 hours they were handed over to the police at Bin Qasim police station where they are still held without lodging any FIR (First Investigation Report).
Even during the dictatorship of Musharraf regime such attacks on the workers fighting for the cause of the proletariat did not take place. Now the right wing leaders of Pakistan People’s Party (the ruling party) have launched a campaign of oppression against those revolutionary workers of PTUDC who are also members of PPP. We demand the immediate release of the comrades that have been arrested and an end to the brutal oppression against the revolutionary workers. We appeal for the solidarity from the working class of the entire world for the release of the arrested comrades.