The strikes that do occur are, given the complications attached to organising a strike, usually illegal and short. They are often broken up by police and used by employers to justify dismissals. Union leaders are often arrested. Marches and protests also occur regularly despite the repercussions.
For example in September, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) pilots from the Pakistan Airline Pilots’ Association (PALPA) began a work-to-rule action as part of a demand to ensure that safety measures were adhered to and that overwork was reduced. The government then invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act 1958, often used to intimidate workers and to prevent industrial action in the name of ensuring that essential services are maintained. One month later, on 25 October, PIA management dismissed two senior pilots, one of whom was previously the union’s joint secretary, reportedly without any notice or hearing for their part in the action.