TUC protests against arrests in Pakistan.

General Pervez Musharraf
President
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Aiwan-e-Sadr
Constitution Avenue
Islamabad

Pakistan

date: 12 November 2007

contact: Bandula Kothalawala

direct line: (0) 20 74671257

email: bkothalawala@tuc.org.uk

Dear Mr President

Detention of Trade Unionists

On behalf of the TUC General Council, I write to express our deep concern over the arrest of trade union leaders including Mr Rana Ayub Aki Khan, Deputy General Secretary, of the Pakistan Water Development Authority Labour Union affiliated to the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).

Our information is that Mr Rana Ayub Aki Khan and four of his colleagues were arrested under the Emergency on Monday 5 November 2007 and that they are being held in a police jail in Gujranwala, Punjab Province. The arrest and detention of trade unionists for organizing activities relating to the exercise of their legitimate rights constitute a gross violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98(1952) and Convention 87 (1951), is obliged to observe the workers' rights enshrined in them.

The TUC has long-standing relations with the Pakistani trade union movement, shares its growing concern over the imposition of the State of Emergency and the suspension of the Constitution and joins the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ITUC) in calling for the immediate restoration of democracy and the rule of law.

We urge you to take effective steps to ensure that the colleagues concerned are released without further delay and that all Pakistani citizens are allowed to exercise their democratic rights.

Yours sincerely

Brendan Barber

General Secretary