News Desk
Islamabad, May 1, 2025:
The All Pakistan Minorities Movement (APMM) organized a Labour Day rally in Sector H-9 Rimsha Colony, Islamabad, to highlight the concerns of marginalized workers and local residents. The rally was led by Shireen Aslam, APMM Deputy General Secretary and Central President of the Women’s Wing, along with the organization’s Vice Chairman and other central leaders.
Approximately 1,300 residents of Rimsha Colony participated in the rally, expressing alarm over the potential demolition of their homes by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). APMM leaders assured participants that they would pursue legal action to prevent any such displacement. “We will legally fight and never let that happen,” stated APMM Chairman Nadeem Bhatti.
The rally emphasized the significance of Labour Day and honored the legacy of the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, a pivotal event in labor history that advocated for the eight-hour workday and improved workers’ rights.
In speeches delivered during the event, APMM leaders reiterated their commitment to advocating for the rights of sanitation, municipal, bonded, and domestic workers—many of whom belong to minority communities. They called for enforcement of minimum wage laws and protection against discrimination, harassment, and workplace violence.
Chairman Nadeem Bhatti expressed strong opposition to recent reports suggesting the privatization of 1,400–1,450 CDA sanitation workers. “We will not let this happen,” he said. “APMM will approach the courts and take legal action against any such decision by the CDA Board and Chairman.”
Bhatti also referenced past incidents, including a case earlier this year where a private contractor failed to pay sanitation workers for three months. “Privatization risks worsening the working conditions and livelihoods of these essential workers who contribute tirelessly to the upkeep of Islamabad,” he said.
The rally concluded with a reaffirmation of APMM’s support for CDA workers and its commitment to legal advocacy and community mobilization to protect their rights.