People’s voice: Faisalabad labour leader attacked

Labour Qaumi Movement chairman Baba Abdul Lateef shot at by motorcyclists.

FAISALABAD: Unidentified attackers shot and injured a labour leader on Thursday.

Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM) chairman Baba Abdul Lateef Ansari had come to the Labor Department for a meeting. When he left the building at 3:30pm, two men riding a bike fired shots at him.

LQM general secretary Aslam Meraj said Ansari’s legs were injured and he was taken to Faisalabad Allied Hospital in a serious condition. “The LQM is working to help power-loom, kiln, industrial and commercial workers of Faisalabad,” he said. “The factory owners and kiln owners have registered cases against Ansari and other activists,” Meraj said, adding that the LQM chairman was earlier beaten up by his opponents. When contacted, Civil Lines SHO Rana Naseer Khan Manj said that a case would be registered after a complaint was lodged.

“When it was informed, police reached the area and collected bullet casings,” Manj said. The LQM leadership announced that they would stage demonstrations today (Friday). LQM president Abdul Qayyum condemned the attack.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2014.