Noted trade unionist Karamat Ali passes away in Karachi
Pakistan
He established Piler to advance labour movement through research
KARACHI (Web Desk) - Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) Executive Director Karamat Ali passed away at the age of 78 in Karachi on Thursday.
According to family, Ali had been admitted to a private hospital for treatment and he breathed his last. He is survived by two daughters and a son.
The family announced that Ali's funeral prayer would be held after the Maghrib prayer at Imambargah Shuhada-e-Karbala, Ancholi, and he would be laid to rest at Wadi-e-Hussain graveyard on Super Highway.
Piler, in a statement announcing the activist's death, described him as a dedicated advocate for the working class, whose commitment to labour rights and social justice made a lasting impact on society.
Numerous high-profile individuals and organisations have expressed their condolences over Ali's passing.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah prayed for the patience of the bereaved family and the elevation of the departed soul in heaven.
Arif Alvi said on X that the deceased was an outstanding labour activist, author, ever-smiling and humble man, always engaged with dignity, represented Pakistan in international conferences as a very well-informed person to be proud of, was a treasure of knowledge and an embodiment of pain for the struggle of the labour classes.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the labour rights activist, stating that Ali's impact on labour rights in Pakistan and the broader South Asian region would be difficult to replicate.
Ali, a founding member of Piler, had been actively involved in peace and labour movements in the country for many years.
In 1982, Ali, along with a group of concerned professionals, established Piler to advance the labour movement through research, education, and advocacy. He was Didi Nirmala Deshpandae South Asian Award for Peace and Justice in 2013.
He also received the Award Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (ACHA) in 2008 and the Bulleh Shah Award in 2007.
