Labour standards: Pakistan working to comply with all EU conventions

PM aide says efforts being made to eliminate bonded and child labour

ISLAMABAD: The government’s priority is to improve labour standards in Pakistan and provide a favourable environment at workplaces to enhance the quality of labour force, said Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood.

Speaking at the “Multi-Stakeholder National Consultation on Strategies and Partnership for Improving Coordination and Compliance with GSP Plus Treaties”, the adviser said Pakistan was working on complying with all the 27 conventions laid down by the European Union after signing the GSP Plus trade preference scheme.

Dawood said Pakistan was committed to enforcing labour laws including ending slavery, bonded labour, child labour and gender discrimination in wages in an attempt to improve work environment in the industries.

“Women have an important role in the country’s economy and the government is making efforts to enhance women participation in the industrial workforce and businesses to address capacity issues,” he said.

In the past six months, Dawood said, Pakistan’s exports increased notably in terms of value addition compared to the previous years.

The adviser termed the 27 conventions of the EU an excellent opportunity for Pakistan to implement labour laws in a bid to create a better business environment.

“Prime Minister Imran Khan is concerned about economic growth of the country and he wants conducive business environment,” Dawood remarked. “The 27 conventions will help the country improve conditions for the labour force and provide employment.”

He invited all stakeholders including the labour unions, industrialists and workers to help the government implement all the conventions.

He was optimistic that Pakistan would be successful in complying with the conventions and receive an extension in the GSP Plus status in the near future.

Dawood stressed that Pakistan wanted to extend cooperation with EU countries and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) for improving bilateral ties and steering economic growth of the country.

“We want to work on economic stability and growth for which a better environment for the labour force is a must to achieve the government economic agenda,” he said.  

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2019.

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