TOBA TEK SINGH/HAFIZABAD-Six leaders of power-loom workers went on hunger strike till death at the sit-in camp at Shahbaz Chowk against the factory owners for government-fixed wages, on Monday.
The workers leaders Nadim Ashraf Jogi, Muhammad Shabbir, Muhammad Salim, Muhammad Shahid, Rafiq Ahmad and Nasir Khan said that 250 power-loom factories of the district had been closed by their owners when the workers demanded the wages as per the Punjab government's orders it issued in a notification of dated July 1. They added that more than 7,000 workers of the factories had been rendered jobless.
When contacted, Labour Welfare Department Assistant Director M Shahbaz claimed that when he and other officials put pressure on the power-loom factory owners to pay fixed wages to their workers, they closed down their factories.
Power-Loom Owners Association Spokesman Muhammad Zahid said that they were already running their power-looms in loss and the demand of raise in wages by the workers had forced them to shut their business. Meanwhile, scores of kiln workers and their families led by their leader Madam Sajida Begum visited the sit-in camp to show solidarity with the power-loom workers.
Edu importance underscored
The education is vital not only to eliminate poverty, ignorance and unemployment but also to ensure prosperity and stability of a nation, ADC Marzia Hasnain Changaizi said.
Addressing a meeting held here in the district complex to observe World Literacy Day, she said that the government has provided record funds worth Rs345 billion for the promotion of education in the province and besides, schools and literacy centres have also been established in remote areas to promote education. She called upon the teachers to perform duty with commitment and missionary zeal to make the young generation to become useful and responsible citizens. She also advised the parents to get their children enrolled in schools.