Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign continues to  organize condolence references and protest meetings in various cities of Pakistan to condemn the deaths of more than 300 workers, killed in factory fires in Karachi and Lahore on September 11 2012.

Rawalpindi

Report by: Ishaq Marwat

On 24^th September, a meeting was jointly organized by Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign and All Pakistan Clerks Association (APCA) in Rawalpindi to condole the martyred workers of Karachi and Lahore factory fires. The agenda of the meeting was “Blood of the victims of Karachi and Lahore fires calls for a Workers’ State and Socialist Revolution”. Comrade Masood acted a the stage secretary.

Amongst the speakers were General Secretary Railways Labour Union Raja Imran, Chairman WAPDA Hydro Union Malik Fateh Khan, Senior Vice President APCA Punjab Chaudry Mubashir Hassan, Asif Rashid from Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA), President Postal PLI Union Ishaq Marwat, General Secretary PWD Workers Union Riaz Bhatti and President Faizan and Vice Chairman PTUDC Dr. Changez Malik.

President APCA Poultry Institute Sayyed Mujahid Hussain Kazmi, Senior Vice President Zaman Malik, comrade Qadir Nazir, comrade Moeen, comrade Faizan, workers from Regional Tax Office, General Secretary Attock Oil Refinery Employees Union Abdul Rauf Malik and Chaudry Kamran from APCA also attended the meeting.

The speakers said that in their lust for money the capitalists have turned into vicious beasts and workers have no option but to unite and fight against the capitalist system. The meeting was presided over by Shehzad Kayani who said that the factory owners, administration and the government are jointly responsible for these crimes.

Following resolution was unanimously passed

1. Compensation of Rs.1.5 million for the dead and Rs. 1 million for the injured to be given immediately.
2. Factory owners to be convicted under the section 302 for murder.
3. Local administrations and provincial governments should be convicted and the incompetent ministers, DCOs and seniors officers to be immediately arrested and trialed.
4. Nationalization of all institutions under workers’ control and establishment of a workers’ state through a socialist revolution.

Faisalabad

Report by: Irtqa Qadir

On 24^th September, a meeting was organized by Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign in Faisalabad to condole the martyred workers of Karachi and Lahore factory fires. The meeting was attended by Paramedics, PTCL, power looms workers, nurses, carpenters and students. The speakers included comrade Rizwan from Revolutionary Council of Faisalabad Agricultural University students, Adam Pal from PTUDC and others. The speakers said that rulers are indifferent of the problems of the workers. Judiciary is playing a supportive role in this exploitation. According to the locals more than 1000 workers were killed in the Karachi fire but the government was not showing the true numbers, Edhi also supported the government in this cover up. The speakers stressed the need for a socialist revolution for emancipation of the workers. The meeting was concluded by singing the Workers’ Internationale.