17 injured in violent protest by power loom workers

At least 17 people were injured as day long clashes erupted between the police, power loom workers and factory owners.

At least 17 people were injured as day-long clashes erupted Tuesday between the police, power loom workers and factory owners over “unsatisfactory wages”. Several factories were damaged and one unit set ablaze when protesting workers went on the rampage. A police motorcycle was also burnt during Tuesday’s clashes.

The violent protest started when the power loom workers forced their colleagues to observe a strike against low wages. Labour Qaumi Movement Faisalabad (LQM) had called a strike on July 20, to protest against the failure of factory owners and the administration in increasing the power loom workers’ wages.

Earlier, the district administration imposed Section 144 – a ban on staging any type of rallies.  However, the ban proved to be futile as the industrial workers broke out in protests from 30 different locations.

The protest turned violent when the workers set on fire a power loom factory in industrial area Sadhar on Jhang Road. Factory workers claimed that they were on their way to stage a demonstration when armed security guards opened fire on them causing four workers to sustain bullet wounds. Infuriated, the mob set fire to the Fazal Weaving factory.

In another move, scores of power loom workers forced entry into different factories and made its workers close their businesses. According to reports, protestors ransacked six factories in Ghulam Muhammadabad and two in Faizabad area. Thirteen persons including six factory owners also sustained injuries in clashes between the police and protestors in Faizabad and Ghulam Muhammabad.

Rana Tahir, secretary of LQM was also among the injured persons. Faisalabad police used hundreds of tear gas shells and resorted to aerial firing to disperse the protesters.

The clashes continued throughout the day, and police contingents from Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Sheikhpura were required to assist the Faisalabad police.

Hours into the ongoing protest, Commissioner Faisalabad Tahir Hussain along with Regional Police Officer Aftab Ahmed Cheema and District Coordination Officer Naseem Sadiq held a detailed meeting with the labour leaders – Mian Abdul Qayyum, Chairman of the LQM.

After thorough discussion, the labour leaders announced an end to their protest on the assurance that the demand to increase their wages will be accepted after formal issuance of the notification from the Punjab government. In the latest development, DCO Faisalabad Naseem Sadiq called a joint meeting of labour leaders and factory owners today to reach a final consensus on the issue.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2010.