Workers’ Day Marked by Protest in Kashmir: Unions Demand Justice and Rights

Rawalakot, Pakistan-administered Kashmir – On the occasion of International Workers’ Day, the All Employees Confederation organized a major protest rally and public gathering in Rawalakot, drawing participation from a range of student and labor organizations. The demonstration highlighted pressing concerns faced by workers and paid tribute to the legacy of the Chicago martyrs.

The protest, which began at College Ground and concluded at the local court complex, witnessed large participation from male and female employees representing various government departments. Key organizations in attendance included the Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation (JKNSF), the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC), and the People’s Revolutionary Front (PRF), among others.

Chants honoring the sacrifices of the Chicago labor martyrs were accompanied by slogans decrying the ongoing hardships endured by workers across the region. The event culminated in a public assembly moderated by Sardar Dawood Rafiq, the district general secretary of technical employees.

Several prominent labor and student leaders addressed the crowd, including Dr. Khalid Mehmood (patron-in-chief of the All Employees Confederation), Sardar Khurshid Khan (president), Sardar Imtiaz Khan (president of APCA), Lali Qayum (central secretary general of technical employees), Altamash Tasadduq (Ad-hoc Workers Movement), Haleem Sajid (PRF), Badr Rafiq (editor of JKNSF’s publication Azm), Safia Begum (Health Employees), and others.

Speakers strongly condemned the recent violence and arrests targeting MNCH employees and health workers in Lahore. They demanded immediate recognition of workers’ legitimate demands and voiced solidarity with labor movements throughout Pakistan and the wider Jammu and Kashmir region.

The event’s speakers reaffirmed their commitment to the approval of a Charter of Demands and emphasized that their campaign would persist until all employee grievances are addressed. Referencing the 1886 Chicago protests that led to the global eight-hour workday movement, participants drew parallels with earlier labor struggles in Jammu and Kashmir, notably the 1865 movement that predated the Chicago events by two decades.

“Generations of struggle achieved the rights we enjoy today, but those hard-won gains are now under threat,” speakers warned. They highlighted the historic sacrifices made in Kashmir for fair wages and working hours and vowed to carry forward that legacy until the establishment of true labor justice.

The demonstration concluded with a strong message: International Workers’ Day is not merely symbolic—it is a call to sustained struggle for a fair, just, and equitable society