Militant greetings from All Pakistan Trade Union Federation!

I would like to briefly introduce that All Pakistan Trade Union Federation is a National Trade Union Center in Pakistan, having affiliation of 240 trade unions of public and private sector industries and commercial institutions. The informal sector unions, brick kilns workers and general laborers are also part of federation. APTUF is also struggling to eliminate child/bonded labor and all kinds of discrimination against workers (women & men) and striving hard to uplift the working and living condition of down trodden segment of the society.

Workers of Pakistan are facing worst working conditions including long working hours, low wages and no freedom of association. As labor laws existing in country ensure rights to workers including freedom of unionization and collective bargaining, but this is o­nly in books. Practically, there is no or very few implementation of labor laws, without any freedom of association. Unfortunately approach and attitude of government authorities and employers towards workers is very unsupported, not allowing workers to practice their very legal right of trade union and collective bargaining. The union submitted a Workers Charter of Demands to Capital Industry�s� management, so encounter, the management also serve the demand notice to union demanding to reduce the wages and other facilities. Management main purpose to harass the union leaders to withdraw its Demand Notice or make the agreement according to Management wishes. This action of the management clearly violating ILO Conventions 98 and 87, Constitution of Pakistan as well as the Industrial Relation Ordinance 2002.

Brief Scenario of Workers Struggle /Challenges in Capital Industry (Pvt) Ltd.

Capital Industry (Pvt) Ltd. Manufacturing bicycles, located at Gulberg Industrial Area, Lahore, Pakistan. Employed nearly 600 workers. Capital Industry Workers Union is affiliated with All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, got success in referendum in April 2005, The management did not recognize the collective bargaining status of the union and used different tactics to harass the union leaders and workers. Union is peaceful element union tries to dialogue with the management for the acceptance of workers demand, but management does not recognize workers union, and instead of dialogue o­n demands, threatens the workers/union office bearers not to pursue the demand notice. And terminated 24 workers and six office bearers

Finalizing the modality of the WTO DDA negotiations and then inaugurating the set of new trade rules signifies reorganization of the entire world based o­n neoliberal principles. Already workers and peoples of the world have been under vicious neoliberal attack that has led to impoverishment, exploitation and discrimination. However, with the new trade rules, these attacks will become even harsher. The WTO has the potential to control every part of our lives, and the new trade rules named �Doha Development Agenda� will in fact become the �global constitution for transnational capital�, with executive, judicial and legislative powers.

An anti-corruption panel in Nepal has sentenced ousted former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to two years in jail after convicting him of embezzlement.

Mr Deuba denounced the verdict.

"There is no basis for this case. This is political assassination. We will fight it politically," he said, the Associated Press news agency reports.