A Letter to the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
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Islamic Republic of Pakistan President’s Palace Islamabad Pakistan |
Detention and Dismissal of Workers
I write to express our deep concern over the detention of some 600 workers and the dismissal of 28 of their trade union leaders following their decision to take industrial action in the event of your Government’s refusal to reconsider its plans to sell part of its stake in the Pakistan Telecommunications Co Ltd.
Our information is that a large number of arrests have been made in Dera Ismail Khan, Quetta, Daharki, Lahore, Mardan, Peshawar,Sargodha, Multan, Faisalabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Islamabad and that the Company has already dismissed 28 trade union leaders. We are particularly worried about the safety of Mr Malik Magboo Hussain who is reported have disappeared after his arrest by the authorities on 15 June 2005.
The arrest of trade unionists for organising activities relating to the exercise of their legitimate rights is a clear violation of the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Moreover, your country, which ratified Convention 98 and Convention 87, is obliged to observe the workers’ rights enshrined in them. We urge you to order the immediate release of the detained workers and their representatives and the release and unconditional reinstatement of the 28 union leaders who were unfairly dismissed and to ensure the safety and physical integrity of Mr Malik Magbook Hussain.
Yours sincerely
Brendan Barber
General Secretary
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