People were forced to rigorous hard work in pre-Islamic era, which was an age of slavery. The Holy Prophet freed humanity from the scourge of slavery and told people that the labourer is a friend of Allah. The wage of a labourer should be equal to the pay of a head of a state.

These views were expressed by Anwar Akhtar Advocate, Secretary General of Pakistan Awami Tehreek, in his speech at a ‘Labour Conference’ held by PAT to highlight the plight of the working classes.

PAT Secretary General said that PAT was working for the welfare and wellbeing of the working classes. He said that Pakistan’s conditions were directly linked to those of the labour classes. Unless a change occurred in the living standards of the workers, no positive change could be expected in the country as the working classes formed the backbone of the country’s economy.

G.M. Malik, Principal Secretary to Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, said that the country was confronted with serious crises, which would not be resolved unless the power was handed over to legal community and the working classes. He said that Parliament could become strong only if it represented the aspirations of the working classes instead of the privileged elite.

G.M. Malik said that a savior could initiate his struggle only if he was supported by the masses. If the people fail to rise to occasion, they fall prey to unending wave of misery and oppression without any light at the end of tunnel. The working classes were the real representatives of the people, he added.

G.M. Malik said that Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri always talked about rights of the working classes and it was he who could steer the country out of crises.

Irshad Ahmad Tahir, Amir of MQI Lahore, said that MQI and PAT were busy in fighting for rights of the working classes, who needed to be freed of clutches of the exploitative forces in order to enable the country to move forward on the trajectory of progress and prosperity. He said that the working classes were being ignored in the policy making with the result that they were unable to get their children educated and schooled.

A resolution unanimous passed by the conference demanded of the government to fix a worker’s pay equivalent to one-tola gold. The hike in prices of POL products and power tariff be withdrawn and the working classes were provided with free residential facilities.