The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign organized a
protest in front of the Hyderabad Press Club on 11th February against the
brutality of the local administration and mill officials for firing on innocent
workers of the Badin Army Sugar Mill.
The workers were protesting for their rights when stooges of the Army and Mill administration opened fire on them. Many were injured and were taken to hospital in Hyderabad. The Administration was so callous that they pressured the hospital officials not to give proper treatment to the workers and discharge them immediately. PTUDC activists however, intervened and protested with the hospital administration, after which the injured were provided with medical treatment.
Comrade Jam Saqi immediately arrived at the hospital and greeted the injured. Comrade Riaz Hussain Lund Baloch, President of the PTUDC also arrived on the same day and visited the injured and expressed solidarity with them. He also met the office bearers of the Workers’ Union of the Army Sugar Mills and extended full support from the PTUDC. He later visited the Hyderabad office of the PTUDC and held an emergency meeting on this issue.
The next day on 11th February a protest was organized in
which activists and labour leaders were present to express their solidarity.
Those present in the protest were veteran communist leader Jam Saqi, Jay
Parkash organizer PTUDC Sindh, District President PTUDC Pir Muhammad Sindhi,
Secretary General Esar Das, Nasim Uddin, Ghulam Rasul Memon, President Mehran
Mazdoor Federation, Secretary General Rahim Shoor and workers and leaders of
the Army Sugar Mills. The protestors were chanting slogans and were holding placards
against the Mill administration. They condemned the brutal attack on the
workers by Colonel Zainullah, District Police Officer Badin and their stooges
who opened fire on the workers protesting for their rights.
Speaking at the occasion all the labour leaders expressed complete solidarity with the workers and said that the Army in Pakistan has become an institution against the working class. This incident proves that the interests of the Army generals and those of ordinary workers can never be the same. They demanded immediate action against DPO Badin and the officials of the Sugar Mills.
The PTUDC has condemned this incident throughout the whole country and press statements have been published in almost all the newspapers of Pakistan. Also protests are being organized in solidarity.
We need solidarity messages of workers around the world against this violence so that we can move forward with our cause.
Messages can be sent to pakistan@marxist.com
See also:
- Pakistan: Workers of Army Sugar Mills in Badin (Sindh) suffer brutal attack by The Struggle Pakistan (February 10, 2009)
- Pakistan: Swat - a paradise in peril by Adam Pal (February 5, 2009)
- The present crisis and the Pakistan People’s Party by Lal Khan (November 11, 2008)
- Pakistan in Turmoil by Zuhaib Butt (October 29, 2008)
- Pakistan: Rulers Playing Games – Masses in Unprecedented Suffering by Lal Khan (September 2, 2008)