They start arriving early every morning round 6am. They are old men now, most sporting white beards and wearing that trademark white cap. Five or six of their colleagues have spent the night under the shamiana outside the Karachi Press Club. The morning shift is now coming to >
to the sit-in, now in its 51st day. They are the workers of Port Qasim who began work there in the 80s. The tasks they performed have now been outsourced to a Chinese firm, and they claim they haven’t been paid for five months. Their demand: to be paid their dues and to get >
the same privileges as workers at the Karachi Port.
These old men, most of them from Bajaur, display the steadfastness and determination of old school trade unionists. They are disciplined, peaceful and united. They also display the amusing stubbornness of older people : >
These old men, most of them from Bajaur, display the steadfastness and determination of old school trade unionists. They are disciplined, peaceful and united. They also display the amusing stubbornness of older people : >
their speeches are often in Pashto, which many Pakhtun and other well-wishers have gently told them may not be the best way to get their message across in a multi-ethnic milieau like Karachi. But they persevere. During the day, the camp is full of hundreds of workers. >
Yesterday, there was a protest by their children and grandchildren too. At night, five or six men remain under the shamiana on rotation. And in the morning, you can see the old men straggling in towards the KPC from homes across the metropolis to take up their >
positions. No one from officialdom seems pushed or bothered to come and listen to their woes and demands. But they’re still there. Men who in their prime did back-breaking work at the port, who are now old and discarded by the cruel system that gives nothing back to them and >
doesn’t need them any more.
End
End
