KARACHI - Veteran singer and musician, Jawad Ahmed paid tribute to the Baldia Factory workers and demanded for taking all precautionary measures in factories to save the lives of the labourers.
Addressing a press conference here at a local hotel, he said, “Most of you may know me as a singer. But perhaps I have not shared with the media that I am basically a worker and have a deep love for and solidarity with the working classes of the world. This is why the workers of this world are the ones that produce for society, whether they are salaried employees, farmers, labourers or small enterprise workers.”
The connection between all these groups is that they offer their hard work and labour. These are the same people who grow food and manufacture products, and ensure the availability of natural resources to us all. Ironically, most people are unaware and ignorant of the fundamental role of workers in producing for society.
The reason for this ignorance is not out of any natural or innate insensitivity of humans towards each other; rather it is a function of a cruel and exploitative system. Until this class system will keep humans enslaved in inequality, human society will not be able to flourish and realise its natural capacity for prosperity and progress. The current system based on artificial, hypocritical, deceptive, and instrumental relationships exploits poor, vulnerable, and helpless human beings.
“I am here to honor and pay tribute to the Baldia Factory workers who gave their lives. This tragic incident took place because in Pakistan most factories are not registered under the Labour Factories Act 1934 and are therefore not protected by EOBI and other social security institutions. Often, workers do not have contracts of employment or ID cards. There is no arrangement made by factories for the safety and security of workers. There is no sign of factory inspection. And factory inspection laws as well as other laws are not implemented,” he added.
“I am here to talk about these very issues. We believe that your presence at the event on the December 31 at 2pm at the Labour Square Ground in Site area is imperative. This has been organised by PILER and various other partner labour organisations to show solidarity with the workers who have lost their lives, as well as with all workers who will be present at the event. We can all come together and ensure that incidents such as the Baldi factory fire do not occur again in the future.”
Meanwhile, State-of-the-art training system has been planned for the probationers and professional specialised training courses are being introduced under a reforms programme to enhance the abilities of Sindh Police personnel.
Sindh Police Inspector General Fayyaz Ahmed Leghari has given special directions for the reforms in training system of Sindh Police. The task of reforms in training system has been given to Additional IG Rafiq.
The additional IG has convened a conference with Principals and officials of all Sindh Police Training Centres including PTC Saeedabad, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Eaglet Police, training centre Razaqabad, RTC Jam Nawaz Ali, SCTC Sakrand, PTC Shahdadpur, RTC Khairpur, PTC Larkana, and RTC Badin.   The conference would be held on January 2 at central police office Karachi which will discuss up-gradation in training system and modules.