Contract system has now become exceedingly common across Pakistan. Unfortunately, it is such a system where labourers are barely respected for their work and are treated worse than machines. The government has set minimum wage at Rs35,000 but there are numerous instances where workers don’t receive even half of that amount.
Additionally, these labourers work for 12 hours straight with no medical care, no job security and no rights. If they ask for a single day off, their salary is deducted. When they grow old and weak and are unable to exert themselves for manual labour, they are let go without any form of protection or pension.
Workers are also treated in such a deplorable manner, being routinely insulted, or asked to do three days’ worth of work in one go. People who are supposed to protect the rights of labourers are busy in securing bribes and looking the other way.
Government officers refuse to take action against exploitative employers and the government fails to safeguard labourers in such situations. If and when someone does speak up, he is laid off from his contractual company. It is time to take up and take note of the plight of labours, because the public is their only hope.
Ali Hassan
Khuzdar
