Mustansar Randhawa, founder of the Labour Qaumi Movement (LQM) for loom workers and President of the National Trade union Federation in Faisalabad, was shot dead on 6 August by two unknown people while in the union offices. His older brother Naseer Randhawa, an active member of the LQM, was also killed. Mustansar Randhawa had been receiving death threats from loom and textile mill owners since the LQM announced a strike in the textile sector on 6 July. The strike was called off after last minute negotiations. The negotiations were due to begin again when the news of the murders came.
Most loom workers work 10 to 12 hour days for less than the minimum wage and without benefits, and many have reported victimisation in the form of beatings, extortion and fabricated cases. The aggressors reportedly operate on the estate grounds with impunity and claim the patronage of the mill owners. Mustansar Randhawa had spoken of being threatened and intimidated by mill owners and their supporters during the past few years.
After the death of the two men, some 200,000 workers went on strike and picketed the offices of the Commissioner until it was announced that the strike for a 17% wage increase and social security coverage had been successful and that their demands were to be met. In addition, four workers who were detained during the strike were released without charges.