LAHORE â The leader of Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) and Labour Unity Rawalpindi, Bashir Botter, who was arrested on May 26, has been released on bail. However, the charges against him â organising illegal strikes and demonstrations, causing a riot, and other crimes â have not been withdrawn.
His release was brought about by pressure exerted on Pakistan's military regime by trade unions and political parties, within Pakistan and internationally.
Botter and nine others have been framed by the regime as punishment for organising railway workers and their families to stop the demolition of their homes, the cancellation of piece work and the withdrawal of some working conditions.
After Botter's release, on June 12, Rawalpindi police arrested six more union activists. They are Aurangzeb Khan, Sufi Ghulam Yasin, Afzal Amin Anjum, Sayyed Qaiser Abbas, Pervaiz Iqbal and Sufi Abdul Sattar, leaders of the workers' organisation Railway Labour Unity in Rawalpindi. Bashir is also the LPP chairperson in Punjab. The six have been charged under four separate legal codes with intimidation, rioting and creating a public disturbance, among other crimes and have been refused bail.
Labour Unity, the LPP, Awam Dost Mahaz and other progressive organisations held a demonstration in Rawalpindi on June 12 to demand the immediate release of all of the activists and the withdrawal of the charges against them. Most trade unions and political parties in Pakistan have joined this call.
Police have also arrested Jahangir Akhtar, the convenor of Awam Dost Mahaz in Rawalpindi, for protesting against the army's murder of a traders' leader. Jahangir Akhtar has been charged with sedition, which carries the death penalty.
Please help by sending an email demanding the immediate withdrawal of all charges against Bashir Botter, and the release of all of the other activists, to Pakistan's chief executive at <ce@pak.gov.pk>.
BY FAROOQ TARIQ
[The author is the general secretary of the Labour Party Pakistan.]