ISLAMABAD: The hearing of the Constitutional Petition challenging the privatization of Pakistan Steel Mills, Karachi has been fixed for May 24, 2006.

The Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has constituted a larger bench comprising Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Mr. Justice Javed Iqbal, Mr. Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Mr. Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi, Mr. Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, Mr. Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad, Mr. Justice Hamid Ali Mirza and Mr. Justice Karamat Nazir Bhandari.

After larger bench it will be reconstituted and will be divided into three benches as usual.

Besides, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, has constituted five benches at Main Registry at Islamabad and two benches at Branch Registry Peshawar for the week May 22- 26, except May 24, (the date for hearing of the case regarding privatization of Pakistan Steel Mills).

From Monday to Friday except Wednesday five Benches will work at Principal Seat at Islamabad and their constitution will be as follows: Bench No. 1: Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice, Mr. Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Mr. Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad, Bench No. II: Mr. Justice Rana Bhagwandas, Mr. Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani and Mr. Justice Karamat Nazir Bhandari, Bench No. III: Mr. Justice Javed Iqbal, Mr. Justice Muhammad Nawaz Abbasi and Mr. Justice Hamid Ali Mirza, Bench No IV: Mr. Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Mr. Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday and Mr. Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Bench No. V: Mr. Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar and Mr. Justice M. Javed Buttar. Mr. Justice Shakirullah Jan will perform Chamber work during the week.

At Branch Registry, Peshawar two benches will work which will consist of Mr. Justice Falak Sher and Mr. Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk (Bench No. I) and Mr. Justice Ch. Ijaz Ahmed and Mr. Justice Syed Jamshed Ali (Bench No. II).



Regards,
Sardarzada

The workers of Pakistan Steel Mills entered a new phase of the “War against Privatization” on Sunday December 18, 2005. The PTUDC called for National Day of Action as part of the anti-privatization struggle of the Pakistani working class. The bosses want to plunder the company and its enormous amounts of wealth. The workers of Pakistan Steel Mills are angrily opposed to the idea of privatization The PTUDC has played an important role in helping the workers to form a unified voice against the privatization, which included the organization of a successful War against Privatization Conference held on December 3, 2005. More than 31 trade unions from various private and public industrial sectors participated in this conference in solidarity with the workers of the Pakistan Steel Mills. The conference elected a Joint Action Committee which was responsible for the day-to-day work of organizing the anti-privatization campaign.
As part of the National Day of Action rallies, protests and meetings were held in Karachi, Hyderabad, Dadoo, Sadiqabad, Rahimyar Khan, Bhawalpur, Dherki, Kot Addo, Multan, Lahore, Pindi and Quetta. Hundreds of workers and youth participated and condemned the privatization of government owned industries.
We provide here reports of the demonstrations and meetings across the country:
Karachi:
A mass rally was organized by the PTUDC in Karachi for December 18. Some 400 workers from various industries came out carrying banners and chanting slogans against privatization and imperialism. There were also a number of women workers and political activists on hand to register their protest. A number of trade unions participated in the protest including the Joint-Action Committee of the Pakistan Steel workers, the People's Workers' union, Pakistan Steel Employees Unity, the Pakistan Steel Officers Association, the Pearl Continental Workers' Union, KESC, People's Unity of PIA, the People's Labour Bureau, the Railway Workers' Federation, the Pakistan Trade Union Federation, the Shaheed Nazir Abbasi Foundation, the Karachi Shoe Makers' Union, the Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum, the Progressive Workers Union and the Pakistan Steel Workers' Confederation.
A number of trade union and political leaders addressed the rally including, Tariq Watanyar, Dhani Bux Summo, Sittar Butt, Farid Awan, Ayala Qureshi, Rasheed Iqbal, Naveed Aftab, Manzoor Rizi, Latif Mughal, Hameeda Ghagroo, Syed Hameed and Ali Yawar. . They were united in their criticism of Musharraf regime's privatization policy which has left thousands of workers without a job. The living standards of the workers, already at rock bottom, will fall even further and push these workers into absolute misery.
Hyderabad:
In Hyderabad, the PTUDC organized a demonstration in front of the Press Club. Hundreds of workers, chanting slogans against privatization, the IMF and the World Bank, demanded an end to the brutal policies of the Musharraf regime against the working class.
Jai Perkash of the PTUDC, Essar Das, Nisar Chandio and Manzoor addressed the demonstration
Dadoo:
Nearly 100 workers and youth participated in the PTUDC organized demonstration in Dadoo. The workers and activists were chanting slogans and displayed banners against the privatization of the Steel Mills and also condemned the different attacks of the regime on the working class.
Sadiqabad:
Several hundred workers attended the anti-privatization rally organized by the PTUDC in Sadiqabad. Workers and activists from the FFC Union, the Labor Union United Sugar Mills, the Sanitary Workers Union, Inqlabi Reksha Union, the Taxi Union, the Painters' Union, the Union of Journalists, the Workers' of Pakistan Peoples' Party, Youth for International Socialism, and the People's Student Federation were present at the rally. The rally started at the Sadiqabad Press Club Sadik and traveled down Railway Road to the National Press Club. Qamar uz Zaman Khan, the Secretary General of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign, Abbas Taj, PTUDC organizer in South Punjab, Nawab Din Lashari, president of the FFC Union, Nadeem But, the president of Inqlabi Reksha Union, Syed Mukhtar ul Hassan, the president of the People's Lawyers Association, as well as Sadik Abad and Shahid Azir addressed the rally and condemned the government and its policies.
Rahimyar Khan:
Hundreds of students, workers and political activists participated in the demonstration in Rahimyar Khan. Haider Chugtai, PTUDC organizer in Rahimyar Khan, Mehmood-ul-Hasan, Barkat Ali Bajwa, Fahim Nawaz Khan and many other leaders from the PSF and the PYO addressed the demonstration. They explained that the “war against privatization” was just the beginning of this fight and that the workers would fight until victory.
Dherki:
More than one hundred workers came out for PTUDC demonstration in Dherki. KTN, a (television station), broadcast news of the demonstration. Sarwer Abbasi of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign, Abdul Haq of the Watan Dost Mazdoor Federation and Hazoor Bakhash of the FFC addressed the rally and condemned the privatization policy of the regime.
Pindi:
In Pindi the PTUDC arranged a demonstration against the privatization of Pakistan Steel Mills in front of Press Club. A large number of workers and youth from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Taxila/ Wah Cantt, Pakhtoonkhawa, and Kashmir were present on the demonstration.
Yasir Irfat, a local PTUDC organiser, Latif Qureshi, president of Pakistan Telecommunication Unity, Shukat Satti, vice-president of the PFUJ, Fauzia Shahid, of the PFUJ, C. R. Shamsi, former general secretary of the PFUJ, Adil Khan, local convener of the JKRYA (Jammu Kashmir Revolutionary Alliance), Shujaat Kazmi, former president of the JKNSF (Jammu Kashmir National Student's Federation) and Lal Khan, editor of Asian Marxist Review, addressed the demonstration. They all condemned the policies of the Musharraf regime and warned that if the privatization of the Steel Mills was not stopped then there would be a movement of workers throughout Pakistan which could overthrow the regime.
Lahore:
In Lahore, the PTUDC along with People's Labour Bureau, called for a demonstration against the privatization of the Pakistan Steel Mills. Several leaders of the PPP and workers from several unions were present on the demonstration. A large number of youth of the BNT (Campaign against Unemployment) were also present on the demonstration.
Quetta:
In Quetta, a protest demonstration was organized by the PTUDC and the Anti-Labour Laws Action Committee. A large number YFIS members also attended the demonstration. Nazar Mengal, the General Secretary of the People's Labour Bureau and president of the PTUDC in Baluchistan, Nasreen Taj, chairperson of BSTU and several other union leaders addressed the demonstration calling for an end to the privatization policies of the Musharraf regime.
Kot Addo:
Several labour leaders and political activists attended the anti-privatization demonstration in Kot Addo. They expressed their solidarity with the workers of the Steel Mills and announced that they were with them in this fight.

Regards,
Sardarzada

__________________
God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him! How shall we console ourselves, the most murderous of all murderers? The holiest and the mightiest that the world has hitherto possessed, has bled to death under our knife....

Progressive Research Institute of Socio-Economics, Pakistan
Since 1988, about 1,00,000 workers have already lost their jobs and about 2,40,000 more workers will loose their jobs after the completion of privatization process in Pakistan in coming years after negotiations with International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank on structural adjustment program (SAP). In the past, all successive governments wanted to privatize 115 state owned industrial units, banks and public sector institutions for management of its debt.
In her first regime, Ms. Banizer Bhutto wanted to privatize the state-owned Muslim Commercial Bank of Pakistan (MCB) and about 10% shares of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA). However, she failed in the privatization of these institutions as workers resisted over this step by the government.
After the ousted of PPP regime in 1990, Mr. Nawaz shraif took oath as a Prime Minister of the country and promised to continue and fasten the privatization process on the lines of international donor agencies. Unfortunately, after the agreement with the official trade unions, Nawaz regime remained successful in privatizing 69 small state own enterprises and 69 thousand workers were sacked on the bases of flowery Golden Shake Hand scheme. Government earned about eight billion rupees as fruit of that privatization process whereas it was targeting estimated 300 million rupees. In financial sector, Nawaz regime handed over Muslim Commercial Bank s (MCB) management to his party well-wishers against a tiny amount of 80 million rupees and further Allied Bank of Pakistan to banks Workers Management Group. During his own regime and afterwards, several cases of malpractice and plunder were noticed and printed in National dailies. However, Nawaz regime failed to privatize other large-scale units and financial institutions like Habib Bank of Pakistan etc. in his first tenure and were replaced by Banizar Bhutto s second government. Although, second government of Banizar Bhutto sold out shares of Pakistan Telecommunication but she remained unsuccessful to attract the international and local investors despite all its attractive packages in Power, Oil, and Gas sectors.
Second Banizar Bhutto s government was overthrown by her own party man, who was President of the country, on hidden allegations for slow implementation of donors agenda.
Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif was elected to serve the country as Prime Minister second time with manipulation of state machinery and with underhand commitment to implement donor agencies agenda.
In his second term, Nawaz regime tried to prepare the rest of state own banks for the privatization with the World Bank financial aid of 210 million US dollars. Government hired highly paid professional for the restructuring of the banks. In the first phase of the restructuring, professionals reduced the size of employees and were force 20,000 workers to take Golden Shake Hand and early retirement benefits. Trade unions and trade union activities were banned within banks premises. However, differences with of establishment did not allow him to fulfil his promises and even to complete his tenure.
In these eleven years of so-called democracy, both political and the care-taker governments despite their commitments with donor agencies remained unable to complete the privatization process.
On 12 October, when present Military government took-over the control of the country and announced to carry out the whole privatization plan by privatizing remaining 49 public sectors units for about 4 billion US dollars. The present government looks desperate to find dollars that are due for debt retirement especially as IMF s disbursements look distressingly distant.
The Privatization Commission of Pakistan led by an industrialist Altaf M. Saleem is going to offer 23 projects before December 31, 2000 and others before June 30, 2002, at an average of two units per month in the next 21 month. In first phase of this process, the government wants to sell units in Oil and Gas sectors such as OGDC, PPL, PAK Gas Corporation and National Power Construction while HBL and NBP in financial sector. Further, other well-earning units like PTCL, SLIC, PIC, and Pak Arab Fertilizer will be privatized in the second phase.
Before initiating this privatization process, the present Military government has deployed military personals in all these public sector institutions for restructuring, better management and preparation for privatization. Army s Monitoring Teams are taking all the administrative measures to prepare list for downsizing.
According to different trade unions reports about 25 thousand workers will loose their job in Railways, around 35 thousand in Water and Power Department (WAPDA), about 20 thousand in Tele-Communication Department (PTCL) and about nine thousand in Pakistan Steel Mills. In this way, about 2,40,000 worker will loose their jobs from all public institutions.
However, it looks clear that the government will be unable to raise 4 billion US dollars through this process as inside story is quite different. However, the government talks about greater credibility in its operations and promises. Factually, 132% PTCL shares raised 900 million on sale of 20% in the past but now it will get far lesser now. Likewise, shares of PTCL sold abroad at Rs. 55 each in 1994 are now selling at Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) at Rs. 26 per share. While considering the continued devaluation in rupee against dollar, this amount declines to Rs. 13 per share. Similarly, shares of Sui Northern have been sold at Rs. 40 in 1994 but after six years are being sold at Rs. 14.96.
Hypothetically speaking, if the government will be able to sell these institutions and gets four billion-dollar, in that case too, this amount would not be sufficient for due payments in December. Further, it is not even sufficient for the amount demanded for the annual debt servicing.
This ranges about 5 to 6 billion US dollars annually for 38.8 billion loans.
Although government has planned to spend 90% of the said amount on debt retiring and 10% on poverty alleviation programs. Therefore, its effects would be disastrous as scores of workers will loose their jobs and people at large will face price-hike, substandard goods and services, which is being indicated by the current situation of the society. For instance, after privatization, prices of edible oil has been raised by about 300%. Similar, this trend is visible in all consumable goods.
Unfortunately, the official trade unions have no plan against the present privatization wave and most of them have accepted it as international phenomena. In these circumstance, Progressive Research Institute of Socio-Economics (PRISE) has accepts this challenge. An attempt is being made to build a chain in varying capacity in different institutions for collective efforts. PRISE arranges seminar, workshop in the said institutions and explains the effects of privatization on workers jobs and on the society.
Now we are able to form committees at work places and within the communities for their common struggle and goal.


Regards,
sardarzada

__________________
God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him! How shall we console ourselves, the most murderous of all murderers? The holiest and the mightiest that the world has hitherto possessed, has bled to death under our knife....