Maps
Magazine

LEGAL

Protest by Forcibly Dismissed Pakistan Steel Mill Workers Disrupts Karachi’s Rail System
Pakistan Steel Mill’s dismissed workers, joined by women & children, march from Steel Town to Bin Qasim Station, halting train ops. They demand mill restoration & job reinstatement.
ND
by News Desk
2025-04-08
Protest by Forcibly Dismissed Pakistan Steel Mill Workers Disrupts Karachi’s Rail System

Hundreds of forcibly dismissed employees from Pakistan Steel Mill, including women and children, staged a mass protest march from Steel Town to Bin Qasim Railway Station on April 8, 2025, demanding the restoration of their jobs and the revival of the mill. The protest, led by members of the Grand Employees Alliance Pakistan Steel, caused significant disruption to the city's transportation system, with multiple trains being delayed or stopped due to a sit-in on the railway tracks.

Protest leaders, including Shamshad Qureshi, Dhani Bakhsh Samoon, Shaukat Korai, Akbar Narejo, Akbar Memon, and Asim Bhatti, led the march, chanting slogans against the closure of Pakistan Steel and the forced dismissal of workers. The demonstrators halted trains traveling from various parts of the country, leading to severe inconvenience for passengers. The protesters voiced their anger over the mill’s closure and its impact on the local community and national economy.

In their speeches, the leaders blamed the Nawaz government for shutting down the Pakistan Steel Mill in 2015, citing the halting of gas supply to the facility as a key reason. They emphasized that the mill was once a profit-making institution, contributing billions of rupees annually to the country’s economy before its destruction.

The protestors also expressed their frustration over the dismissal of more than 10,000 workers, including the latest round of 1,373 dismissals during Ramadan. They condemned the government's actions, stating that this had devastated the livelihoods of workers and their families, as well as closing educational institutions in the residential areas of Steel Town, which affected workers' children.

The protesters vowed to continue their sit-in until their demands were met, including the reinstatement of all dismissed employees and the reopening of the steel mill.

Police and Rangers were deployed in significant numbers at key locations like Bin Qasim Railway Station to prevent any untoward incidents. However, attempts by the Railway Police SP and Sindh Police to negotiate with the protestors failed twice. Despite these efforts, the protestors remained firm in their stance, refusing to vacate the tracks.

Notably, Habib Junadi, General Secretary of the People's Labor Bureau Sindh, and PTI Sindh leader Dr. Masroor Sial arrived at the protest to show solidarity with the workers. Junadi expressed his full support for the workers’ fight to rehabilitate the steel mill and reinstate the dismissed workers. Dr. Sial echoed similar sentiments, demanding the immediate restoration of the mill and action against those responsible for its downfall.

Due to the ongoing protest, train operations were severely impacted. Trains including the Rehman Baba Express and Pakistan Express were delayed, while others like the Tezgam, Karachi Express, Millat Express, and Karakoram Express were halted at various stations, causing severe disruptions for travelers.

The situation remains tense as the workers have vowed to continue their protests until their demands are met. The future of Pakistan Steel Mill and its employees hangs in the balance, with the protest highlighting the ongoing issues of privatization and dismissals that have plagued the country’s industrial sector.

 
Tagged:

KarachiProtests

PakistanSteelMill

SteelMillWorkers
Share News: