Labour leaders on Sunday accused a government-constituted police task force of colluding with industrialists to suppress worker dissent, alleging a campaign of victimization that includes custodial torture, forced dismissals, and fabricated terrorism charges.
The severe allegations were levelled during a major protest rally jointly organised by the National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF), the Home-Based Women Workers Federation (HBWWF), and other civil society groups. Led by Riaz Abbasi, Comrade Zehra Khan, and Asad Iqbal Butt, the event drew a large number of employees from various sectors, alongside representatives from political and human rights organisations.
Addressing the assembly, Nasir Mansoor, General Secretary of the NTUF, asserted that persecuting labourers for raising legitimate demands reflected a capitalist approach that was the “greatest obstacle to industrial development.” He claimed that the nexus between industrialists and the police was fostering severe unrest and endangering industrial peace.
Mansoor detailed how workers demanding their guaranteed rights were being forcibly dismissed, subjected to torture in police detention, and arrested under false charges of terrorism, murder, and extortion.
Asad Iqbal Butt, Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), specifically condemned the police task force established by the Sindh government. He stated the task force had exceeded its mandate by “continuously harassing labour representatives to protect the illegal interests of capitalists,” refusing to hear the workers” perspective while remaining in constant contact with factory owners.
“Instead of curbing wage slavery in factories, the Sindh police is acting as an extension of capitalists,” Butt warned, adding that using police violence to suppress workplace issues would have “dangerous consequences.”
Comrade Zehra Khan of the HBWWF condemned the widespread use of an “inhumane and illegal” contract system that she said had deprived employees of all legal protections. She warned of legislative moves to grant legal status to this system through a so-called Labour Code, noting the Punjab government had already passed such a bill without meaningful consultation.
Khan framed this as part of a neoliberal agenda to absolve employers of their responsibilities, drawing parallels to resistance movements in neighbouring countries, including the recent historic strike of 300 million Indian workers.
The protest also highlighted the international repercussions of these domestic policies. Saeed Baloch of the PFF noted that the conduct of employers, supported by state institutions, was causing reputational damage to Pakistan, which has ratified 36 ILO conventions and committed to labour law compliance under the EU’s GSP Plus status.
Habibuddin Junaidi of the People’s Labour Bureau gave a specific example of the alleged repression, citing the police torture and false terrorism cases filed against labour leader Comrade Iqbal Abro, allegedly at the behest of Towellers Limited management. He lamented that for demanding basic rights like appointment letters, unionisation, and safe working conditions, “workers and their representatives are being intimidated by employers and labour related institutions.”
Laiquat Khan of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) remarked that journalists faced similar harsh conditions and urged for united, cross-sectoral action to secure comprehensive protections for all labourers.
The rally concluded with a comprehensive list of demands, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the proposed Labour Code and the abolition of the contract system. Protesters urged for the inclusion of workers in the Sindh government’s industrial peace task force and demanded legal action against police officers involved in the alleged torture of Comrade Iqbal Abro. They also called for the full implementation of national and international labour commitments and an end to the practice of using police force to resolve industrial disputes.