LARKANA: Pakistan Workers Federation`s (PWF) Sindh chapter has urged the Sindh government to accept its 19-point charter of demands as its recent decisions about workers had seriously affected low-grade employees.

Noor Mohammad Hulio, president of PWF Sindh, flanked by other leaders of the federation, told a press conference at Larkana Press Club on Thursday that the charter of demand had been presented to Sindh chief minister on Dec 31, 2024, which called for rolling back the changes made in pension rules, regularisation of contract employees and dailywage workers and restoration of son-quota policy.

He urged the provincial government to ensure payment of minimum wage ofRs37,000 to workers, give the federation representation on Senate and frame paramedics service structure as early as possible.

He said the government`s action of slashing a host of benefits has added to suffering of workers class in addition to tax cuts which were putting on them financial strain. Age-bar of 28 years for eligibility to join government services should be lifted, he said.

He complained that rulers had given a free hand to bureaucracy who had struckhard the working class and low-grade employees with its unfettered decisions.

He regretted that raising voice for rights would invite tough and even more antiworker decisions from the government which would further target and victimise employees.He alleged that corruption had crept into almost all departments and completely crippled their performance.

The PWF wanted the Sindh government to be sympathetic and pro-workers, consider their charter of demands and find out a way to financially ease their lives and protect their services, he said.

Mr Hulio called on government to stop victimisation and appealed to Chief Justice of Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and otherauthorities concerned to look into the genuine demands of low-grade employees, withdraw all anti-workers notifications and resolve their issues through negotiations.

If demands were put on the backburner, 30 organisations which were members of PWF would expand the protest across the country, he warned.

Mr Hulio was flanked by Ali Sher Sangi, Awais Ahmed Jatoi, 1mtiaz Ali Shahani, Waheed Ali Abbasi and others duringthe press conference.