Like the global labour movement, Pakistan’s workers’ movement has also witnessed waves of ebb and flow. From the earliest days of independence until today, it has faced persistent state opposition. Our country’s emerging industrialists and capitalists always treated it as an adversary, leaving no opportunity to suppress or crush it.

Yet, despite this hostility, it is also a fact that the labour class produced individuals who sacrificed their lives without ever compromising on principles or workers’ rights. Among these leading figures was Usman Ghani, who was martyred in broad daylight on 17 September 1995.

“He gave his life, for it was His to give,

Yet the truth is, the debt was never repaid.”

Today marks the 30th anniversary of Usman Ghani’s martyrdom. A son of Sindh and an immortal character in Pakistan’s labour struggle, he was born in Karachi’s historic Chanesar Goth. True to his roots, he never left his ancestral neighbourhood.

From Banker to Labour Leader

Usman Ghani began his professional career at Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB). Politically, he was affiliated with the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). At MCB, he became deeply involved in trade union activities, soon emerging as a champion of workers’ rights. He was elected President........

© Business Recorder