The workers of PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunications Corporation Limited) have been protesting and staging a sit-in at PTCL Headquarter, Islamabad, for the last 12 days on the issue of the fulfillment of the commitments made to them by the management. Their protest has been brutally suppressed by the state and management.
Through a worker we have come to know that the charter of demands presented by the workers to the management consisted of 5 demands:
PTUDC (Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign) was actively participating and supporting the charter of demands. The comrades from PTUDC were also demanding the cancellation of privatization of PTCL which is the basic reason for all these issues. Comrade Jam Sajjad (Secretary General of PTUDC South Punjab)and a leader of PTCL in Multan were at the forefront during these protests and the sit-in along with Malik Maqbool President of Lines Unity a union of PTCL workers. The management used measures to stop the protests such as stopping the salaries of the protesters, but the workers resolve remained unshaken by the cowardly tactics of the management.
Sensing defeat, the management in collaboration with the State authorities attacked the workers on the night between 30th and 31st August. Police along with Rangers charged the unarmed workers with batons.
Around 200 (or above) workers were arrested and false criminal cases have been brought against them under the anti-terrorism act. Comrade Jam Sajjad and Malik Maqbool were also arrested. With the collaboration of the authorities, the management has kept the whereabouts of the injured and the body of the dead worker secret.
As the news of this state terrorism reached far and across the country, workers of PTCL in large numbers have converged at PTCL Headquarter Islamabad and started a demonstration against the management and state brutality. They are demanding the release of the arrested workers, knowledge of the whereabouts of the injured workers. Strikes and demonstrations have also followed in numerous cities and towns across the country to show solidarity with the workers of PTCL at the Headquarter. A partial Strike was observed in almost all the exchanges and offices of PTCL across the country.
