Mian Raza Rabbani backs sit-in by govt employees, health workers

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman of Senate Mian Raza Rabbani Thursday extended his support to the sit-in (Dharna) by the government employees and the lady health workers and said that the protest was against price hike and anti-labour policies of the federal government.

“The employees are demanding increase in their salaries and allowances proportionate to inflation along with other demands and these are genuine issues as due to the price hike which is being supported by and cartels of the crony capitalists of the government it has become impossible for the working class to have one square meal a day,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

Rabbani said the demands also include introduction of the proper structure of the government pay scales and the end of the downsizing and privatisation of government owned entities.

He said the privatisation process of government entities is ultra vires of the Constitution in as much as those government institutions which are functioning under a federal law can only be privatised after a decision of the Council of Common Interest (CCI) under Article 153, Constitution, 1973.

He said the government in its anti-labour policy and in order to obey the IMF, the World Bank and others as imposed the Essential Services Act in various institutions thus banning trade union activities.

Section 124-A, PPC, dealing with sedation is being employed on students and labourers by the government. “These acts of the government are condemnable,” he said. Rabbani said the government must realise that the thrashing of labour movements historically is proven to be the last nail in the coffin.