Demonstrators demand national ship-breaking policy.

KARACHI -- A rally of workers, including shopbreaking workers of Gadani, here Friday demanded of the government to announce national ship-breaking policy and withdraw heavy taxes from this crucial sector of economy. According to details, a big protest rally was staged a Gadani by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and Gadani Shipbreaking Workers Union on the occasion of the third anniversary of the martyrdom of 29 workers in Gadani ship-breaking fire mishap. Addressing the rally, the speakers said three years have already passed to this tragedy, but the government of Balochistan so far has failed to provide legal protection to the shipbreaking workers. As a result ship-breaking workers today are compelled to work in the worst conditions. For the implementations of labor laws and health and safety is a distant dream.

Despite passage of three long years to no proper law making for ship breaking workers is done which could result into a big mishap. It is necessary that to bring the ship breaking in industrialsector proper lawmaking should be done. A draft bill made with extensive consultation of labors should be tabled in assembly at the earliest. Health and safety laws should implemented and contract labor system in this sector be ended. The rally was led by NTFU central president Rafiq Baloch...