Sanitation Workers Protest Met with Arrest: Undermined Right To Strike

An FIR was lodged against the union leaders, Sanitation Workers, and other Municipal Corporation workers, accusing them of using abusive language and threats, which are common tactics used to intimidate and suppress workers’ movements.

On August 29, 2024, Faryad Shah President Ittfaq Labour Union, Sanitations and other Workers of MC Sialkot held a peaceful protest outside the Chief Officer’s office. They demanded fair treatment with Christian Workers, wages, and improved working conditions.

Instead of addressing these valid concerns, the administration responded with threats and coercion. This reaction raises questions about the administration’s commitment to listening to workers’ needs.

The FIR against Faryad Shah and other MC Sialkot workers raises serious concerns about workers’ rights. Article 16 of the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the right to peaceful assembly. This FIR undermines these constitutional rights and raises issues about how laws are enforced, especially for vulnerable workers.

Pakistan is a signatory to several International Labour Organization -ILO conventions. These include Convention No. 87, which protects the freedom of association, and Convention No. 98, which supports collective bargaining. By ratifying these conventions, Pakistan committed to upholding workers’ rights, including the right to organize and the Right to protest.

We urge the government to withdraw this FIR immediately. Workers have the right to protest and should have their concerns addressed. Trade union leaders, including Shams Ur Rehman Swati, President of the National Labour Federation- NLF, Ch Abdul Rehman Aasi, Chairman of the Pakistan Workers Federation-PWF, and Lala Sultan Khan, President of the All Pakistan Labour Federation-APLF, have expressed their concerns about the FIR. They demand its withdrawal to resolve the issue in the best interest of the workers and the Municipal Corporation of Sialkot.