Labour department imposes fines on 100 shops

Director says shopkeepers violated the labourers’ wage act

MULTAN: In line with implementing minimum wages, the Labour Department imposed a fine on 100 shops for violating The Minimum Wages Act 1948, said Labour Department Director Rana Jamshaid Farooq on Sunday.

The Punjab government had recommended Rs17,500 per month and Rs673.08 per day as the minimum salary for labourers, he said.

However, the shopkeepers were found paying fewer salaries to their workers. Labour Department Secretary Sarah Akram issued instructions for taking strict action against violation of labourers’ wages act.

He said that the government has been committed to ensuring the implementation of the provision of recommended salaries. During the last week, the labour inspectors checked nearly 700 shopkeepers, of which, about 100 shops were found violating the minimum salary limit of Rs17,500.

The labour department submitted fines to the courts concerned. The department director said that shopkeepers would be fined Rs10,000 each.

About raids, the director maintained that seven labour inspectors conducted raids in Multan, Vehari, Lodhran, Khanewal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and some other cities of South Punjab.

“Nobody would be allowed to exploit workers especially in terms of wages,” said Farooq. He highlighted that the process of raids would be intensified in the near future.

He further said that wages of Rs17,500 were for 26 working days.

The director said that in case of accommodation and transport facility, the deduction of Rs217 and Rs46 per month would be allowed. Similarly, the department has also been discouraging child labour, he said. The shopkeepers were strictly warned to stay away from child labour and FIRs have been registered on violation of the Child Labour Act, the director remarked.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2020.