Protest: Labourers block National Highway in Mirpur Mathelo

They were protesting against the failure of a multinational company to reinstate sacked workers.

SUKKUR: A number of labourers under the aegis of Mazdoor Ittehad Ghotki staged a protest demonstration and sit-in outside the deputy commissioner’s office on National Highway in Mirpur Mathelo on Tuesday. 

Led by labour leaders, Sadiq Leghari, Fateh Muhammad Lakhan and Aslam Arain, the workers started their protest from Daharki on Suzuki pickups and motorcycles. Shouting slogans against the multinational companies, they staged a sit-in on National Highway, suspending traffic on both ends.



The protesters said that more than 100 labourers were sacked by the Fauji Fertilizer Company (FFC) some 22 years ago. They said that the labourers had fought a legal battle against this action and the Supreme Court had finally issued orders in their favour, directing the FFC management to reinstate them with all benefits. But, despite the lapse of more than two months, nothing had been done, they claimed. According to them, there were many multinational companies in the Ghotki district. These companies should follow the quota system and appoint skilled and unskilled labour. But the companies were ignoring the unemployed youth and recruiting persons from other provinces, which was highly condemnable, they alleged. So much so that a prayer leader is also appointed from another province, a protester pointed out.

The additional deputy-commissioner, Tahir Wattoo, reportedly met the protesters and arranged their meeting with Ghotki deputy-commissioner Fareed Ahmed Junejo. The deputy-commissioner assured them that he would take up the matter with the managements of the companies, after which the blockade ended. The protesters warned to block the highway again if their demands were not met within 15 days.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2013.