Pearl Continental Union Leaders Beaten by Karachi Police as Management Looks On

Posted to the IUF website 16-Jul-2002

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On 6 July, two officers of the Pearl Continental Hotel Workers' Union who had been unfairly fired for union activity were reportedly beaten at the police station in the presence of management staff of the hotel (click here to see April 5 posting on the IUF web-site).

Union Vice Chairman Aurangzeb and Vice Social Secretary Hidayatullah were waiting outside the hotel in a van to take off-duty union members to a public memorial service for the recently deceased former labour minister Omar Ashgar Khan when hotel management informed the police of their presence.

Karachi police led by an Assistant Superintendent of Police took the union leaders to the police station. The Assistant Superintendent himself was reported to have beaten the union leaders in the presence of two members of the hotel managerial staff, one of whom was Mr. Sajjad Mughal.

Despite assurances of an immediate release given to the Union General Secretary, the two union leaders were only released after more than 26 hours' custody. The workers of the hotel reported that the Assistant Superintendent of Police spent the night following the assault at the hotel with members of hotel management.

The union wrote protest letters to the Sindh Government and other government authorities, but as yet have received no response. The union held a press conference to demand an impartial inquiry into the conduct of the police and hotel management.

What You Can Do

Send a message supporting the demand of the union for an impartial inquiry into the conduct of the Karachi police and the Pearl Continental Hotel management on 6-7 July.

This may be faxed to

Mr. Mohammed Mian Soomro, Governor of Sindh (fax: +92 21 9201218).

with a copy to The Home Secretary, Government of Sindh (fax +92 21 9212023),

and copies to the Pearl Continental Hotel Workers Union (fax +92 21 635 0354) and to the IUF secretariat (fax +41 22 793 22 38).

On behalf of our members in Pakistan we appreciate your support and solidarity.