CORRUPTION SHOULD BE ELIMINATED INSTEAD OF MAKING JOB CUTS: ALTAF HUSSAIN

GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE STEPS FOR IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF WORKING CLASS PEOPLE IN PAKISTAN

Founder and Leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Mr Altaf Hussain has said that the wages of the workers should be given to them before the drying of their sweat as enjoined by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He was addressing a huge gathering of workers and labourers in Lal Qila Ground, Azizabad on the 25^thAnnual Silver Jubilee Convention of the Labour Division of the MQM.

Mr Hussain said it was unfortunate that a large number of workers and labourers of the country had to work without wages for a long period of time. He declared that this unjust practice must stop as the time was at hand when the usurpers would be faced with a revolution in the country on the lines of the French Revolution. He impressed upon the owners of industries and factories to pay the wages of their employees without delay.

Mr Hussain said that a large number of people were working in the country on daily wages for a long period of time. He appealed to the industrialists and mill owners to regularize the services of daily wage earners.

Mr Hussain said that the country was passing through economic problems. Corruption was rampant, and the wealth was being concentrated in the hands of a few families. There were mismanagement and unchecked corruption due to which profit-making institutions were also collapsing one after another.

Mr Hussain said that instead of making job cuts corruption should be eliminated and people of strong moral fibre and integrity should be appointed. He said that the corrupt people must be removed from all national institutions in order to save them.

Mr Hussain demanded of the government that Pakistan Steel Mills, Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Railways, Pakistan Machine Tools Factory and all other state institutions should be cleansed of corrupt officers and saved from utter ruination.

Mr Hussain said that he was grieved to see the state of pensioners in the country who had to stand in long lines at banks in order to get their pensions. The pensioners had to face untold miseries for getting a small amount of money, which was unfortunate. The pensioners must not be looked upon as beggars and the officers demeaning the elderly pensioners must know that they would also retire one day.

Mr Hussain called for the implementation of the wage board award and said that journalists, reporters, technicians and others affiliated with the newspapers, and electronic media should be given their salaries on time.

Mr Hussain said that the MQM is a democratic party, and it encourages peaceful and democratic activities. He said that the MQM was in favour of labour unions in order to enable the workers and labourers to raise the voice for their rights. He said that better relations should be established between the employers and the employees.

Mr Hussain said that the law governing the Industrial Relations Organization under which labour unions work was about to lapse on 12^thMarch 2012. He said that it was a source of concern for labour organizations throughout the country, and hence the federal government must look into it immediately.

Mr Hussain said that steps should be taken on an urgent basis to provide accommodation, education and health facilities to the working-class people in the country. He said that they should be given dearness allowance in their salaries keeping in view the soaring prices of essential commodities.

Mr Hussain said that the labourers must also work honestly and discharge their responsibilities in an efficient manner.

Women Rights

Referring to the acts of restraining the women from exercising their right of voting Mr Hussain declared that there was no democracy without the participation of women. It would not be a true democracy if the women of the country were not allowed to take part in it.

Mr Hussain called the names of leaders of different political parties one by one including Imran Khan of PTI, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif of PML (N), Maulana Fazlur Rehman of JUI (F), Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain of PML (Q), Co-chairman of the PPP Asif Ali Zardari, Asfandyar Wali of the ANP, Shaikh Rasheed of AML, Pervez Musharraf of APML, Munawer Hassan of JI and all others to get united for the sake of democracy. He said that the by-elections in Mardan and Mianwali where the women were not allowed to cast votes should be declared as “null and void”.

Mr Hussain appealed to the Election Commission of Pakistan to bar the candidates who had contrived to keep the women away from the polling process for a period of ten years.

Display of Weapon and Aerial Firing

Mr Hussain condemned the open display of weapons during the by-elections held at nine places in the country and the incidents of aerial firing. He asked how the elections held in this manner could be called free, fair and transparent. He demanded that evidence should be collected for all television channels, and the results of those areas should be declared “null and void” where the weapons were openly used, and hooligans had resorted to firing.

Baluchistan Situation

Speaking about the fluid situation in Baluchistan Mr Hussain said that it was necessary to find a solution of the problems in Baluchistan without further delay. If no solution was found for the crisis-like situation in Baluchistan, it might be lost altogether.

Physical Torture of polling staff

Referring to the physical torture on women polling staff by a candidate Mr Hussain stressed upon the Election Commission to look into the case on merit and on the strength of evidence. He said that the election commission must not take a side in this incident.

MQM Labour Division Silver Jubilee

Earlier Mr Hussain congratulated the Labour Division and the workers and labourers on the 25^thSilver Jubilee Convention. He said that the Labour Division was formed 25 years ago for the rights of the working-class people in the country. He said that the office-bearers and workers of the Labour Division had rendered unforgettable sacrifices.

Mr Hussain particularly mentions Shahzad Mirza, in-charge of the Labour Division, who was martyred in 1992 and Kahlid Murtaza of Pakistan Steel Mills unit who was disabled by the firing of government agencies. He paid glowing tributes to Shahzad Mirza and all other workers of the labour division who remained steadfast and did not bow down before tyranny. He also praised the current in-charge of the Labour Division Mr Anwer Saleem who was attacked by the firing of armed attacks while returning from Nawab Shah.