1972 Karachi labour unrest

In 1972, Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, witnessed major labour unrest in its industrial areas of S.I.T.E Industrial Area and Korangi-Landhi. Several protesting workers were killed or injured by police during this period. In a number of cases, workers briefly occupied their factories. Background 1958–1968: Ayub Khan’s military rule and labor repression Under Ayub Khan's military rule, the industrial sector thrived, while the working class suffered significantly. Labor activists were frequently arrested, tried in military courts, and trade unions were restricted.8 June 2016 Lessons of history ePaper DAWN.COM https://epaper.dawn.com/DetailImage.php?StoryImage=08_06_2016_009_001 2018-09-18 epaper.dawn.com en Such an environment led to mounting frustration among workers and students, culminating in the 1968 movement, which ultimately ousted Ayub Khan and led to Yahya Khan’s succession.Bellingham Justen The 1968-9 Pakistan Revolution: a students' and workers' popular uprising http://marxistleftreview.org/index.php/no-12-winter-2016/132-the-1968-9-pakistan-revolution-a-students-and-workers-popular-uprising 2018-09-18 marxistleftreview.org 1969–1971: Yahya Khan's tenure and labor retrenchment Yahya Khan's military regime continued to repress labor movements, imposing strict controls to prevent strikes and lockouts. During his tenure, approximately 45,000 workers in Karachi were retrenched. This period saw increasing militancy among labor groups, setting the stage for further unrest under the new civilian government.Labour: The Unkindest Cut http://newslinemagazine.com/magazine/labour-unkindest-cut/ 2018-09-18 Newsline 1971–1972: Rise of the Pakistan People's Party and labor unrest When the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) came to power under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on December 20, 1971, workers initially felt hopeful due to Bhutto's anti-industrialist and socialist agenda. Early 1972 saw a surge in labor activism, with notable incidents such as the occupation of Dawood Mills in Karachi, led by Aziz-ul-Hasan and Riaz Ahmed.Khan Lal 22 May 2009 Pakistan's Other Story: 6. Witness to Revolution – Veterans of the 1968-69 upheaval https://www.marxist.com/pakistans-other-story-6.htm 2018-09-18 www.marxist.com en-gb Between January and May, approximately 150 factories were encircled, with industrialists appealing to the president for intervention.Khan Iqbal 1972 From Pathan Colony to a Workers' State Pakistan Forum 2 11 4–8 10.2307/2568979 2568979 However, the response from the state was harsh, and several workers were killed, imprisoned, or allegedly assaulted during police interrogations. Labor unrest 1972: Protests The Karachi labor unrest began on June 6, 1972, with a protest at Feroz Sultan Mills in S.I.T.E. Town. Workers demanded wages and their share of the workers' participatory fund. On June 7, the state responded by ordering police to fire on peaceful protesters, resulting in the deaths of three workers, including Shoaib Khan, a leading figure in the Muttahida Mazdoor Federation.www.zaa.cc Zaa Normandin Labour Movement in Pakistan http://www.alterinter.org/spip.php?article4591 2018-09-18 Alternatives International The next day, a procession formed for Khan's funeral; it soon escalated into a mass protest.Fallen heroes of 1972 labour crusade honoured https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/126134-Fallen-heroes-of-1972-labour-crusade-honoured 2018-09-20 en Police then opened fire again, killing 10 workers and injuring dozens more. This sparked a large-scale strike, closing over 900 industrial units and paralyzing Karachi's industrial zones.Strength of the street: Karachi 1972 - Kamran Asdar Ali https://libcom.org/library/strength-street-karachi-1972 2018-09-18 libcom.org en The strike ended on June 18 after a tribunal was established, but brutal repression still followed with around 1,200 workers arrested."Dividing workers along party lines has a negative impact on the unions." Karamat Ali http://newslinemagazine.com/magazine/interview-karamat-ali/ 2018-09-20 Newsline en-US Labor unrest continued in Landhi Town where striking workers occupied mills and refused to return to work. On October 18, police and military forces bulldozed factory walls to suppress the protests, resulting in the deaths of around 100 workers.Pakistan: Bloody Origins of the Z.A. Bhutto Regime https://www.icl-fi.org/english/wv/1058/pakistan.html 2018-09-20 www.icl-fi.org Dawn reported that the conflict began over wage demands in a government-run machine tool factory which then spread to nearby textile mills. Paramilitary forces ultimately quashed the protests by force.Khan Lal 29 May 2009 Pakistan's Other Story: 7. War and Reformism – Lessons of a Derailed Revolution https://www.marxist.com/pakistans-other-story-7.htm#sdfootnote37anc 2018-09-20 www.marxist.com en-gb Trade unionist Karamat Ali later explained that these protests erupted because workers, inspired by Bhutto's campaign promises, expected more comprehensive reforms than the labor policy announced in February 1972. When the policy fell short, workers mobilized in large numbers, prompting Bhutto to respond with force. 1973–1977: Aftermath and continued repression Over the following years, Bhutto's government continued to crack down on labor movements nationwide. Prominent labor leaders, such as Bawar Khan, Tufail Abbas, and Meraj Muhammad Khan, faced imprisonment, torture, and harassment.1978 The Legacy of Bhutto Economic and Political Weekly 13 13 574–578 4366485 In October 1974, Bhutto further restricted trade unions through a presidential ordinance, earning praise from the industrial sector for its effectiveness in curbing labor activities. By 1975, labor movements slowed down as unions became entangled in numerous legal battles.Khan Lal 29 May 2009 Pakistan's Other Story: 7. War and Reformism – Lessons of a Derailed Revolution http://www.marxist.com/pakistans-other-story-7.htm#sdfootnote40anc 2018-09-20 www.marxist.com en-gb In 1977, Bhutto's regime was overthrown by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, marking an even darker period for labor rights as Zia intensified the repression of trade unions.Muzaffargarh police claim busting inter-provincial dacoits gang https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/14849-trade-union-movement-has-lost-much-of-its-vigour 2018-09-20 en Legacy To honor the workers killed during the 1972 protests, Benaras Chowk was renamed Shaheed Chowk (Martyr's Square) and later Bacha Khan Chowk. A Shaheed Mazdoor Yadgari Committee was established to hold public meetings commemorating fallen workers. Additionally, a memorial monument with the words "Mazdoor Shaheed" was erected at the S.I.T.E. graveyard.The courageous crusaders who refused to bow down https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/209256-The-courageous-crusaders-who-refused-to-bow-down 2018-09-20 enTributes paid to martyrs of 1972 labour movement in Karachi https://fp.brecorder.com/2014/06/201406081190593/ References External links A photo of the monument commemorating the Martyred workers Further reading The Strength of the Street Meets the Strength of the State: The 1972 Labor Struggle in Karachi, Kamran Asdar Ali, International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 37, No. 1 (Feb., 2005), pp. 83–107 Behind the Headlines: Take-over of Valika, H. N. Gardezi, Pakistan Forum, Vol. 2, No. 7/8 (Apr. - May, 1972), pp. 16–18, Published by: Middle East Research and Information Project Koh-E-Noor Rayon under Workers' Control, Pakistan Forum, Vol. 2, No. 9/10 (Jun. - Jul., 1972), pp. 8–10+7, Published by: Middle East Research and Information Project From Pathan Colony to a Workers' State Iqbal Khan, Pakistan Forum, Vol. 2, No. 11 (Aug., 1972), pp. 4–8 Published by: Middle East Research and Information Project Who is Sabotaging Production?, Pakistan Forum, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Nov., 1972), pp. 5–6, Published by: Middle East Research and Information Project Why Were These Factories "Taken Over?", Pakistan Forum, Vol. 3, No. 2 (Nov., 1972), p. 7, Published by: Middle East Research and Information Project Behind the Headlines: Dawoods: Empire and the Terror, Pakistan Forum, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Dec., 1972), pp. 13–14+16, Published by: Middle East Research and Information Project __FORCETOC__ Category:Labour disputes in Pakistan Category:Labour movement in Pakistan Category:1972 labor disputes and strikes Category:Massacres in Pakistan Category:Politics of Karachi Category:1972 in Pakistan Category:20th century in Karachi Category:History of Sindh (1947–present) Category:Protests in Pakistan Category:1972 murders in Pakistan