Govt fails to implement bonded labour abolition law

Rights activists say agriculture workers denied minimum wages

KARACHI:

Rights activists underlined the need for implementation of the key laws pertaining to rights of agriculture workers, including the Sindh Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 2015 and Sindh Tenancy Act 1950.

They were speaking at the launch ceremony of a report on Sindh's peasants rights on Friday

Addressing at the launch of "The State of Peasants' Rights in Sindh 2020", organised by the Hari Welfare Association (HWA) at Karachi Press Club, the speakers expressed their concern over the plight of agriculture workers, who are facing social and economic exclusion, expulsion from the agriculture fields where they work and non-payment of their due by influential landlords.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has further aggravated the rights situation of agriculture workers," said Akram Ali Khaskheli, president of the HWA.

According to him, a majority of agriculture workers do not receive minimum wages fixed by the labour department of the Sindh provincial government.

Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) Executive Director Karamat Ali underlined the need for the provision of rights to agriculture workers. He urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to start hearing the review petition against land reforms verdict of a Shariat Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

He also demanded to distribute all government lands to the landless peasants. He appreciated the recent statement of a Supreme Court of Pakistan Judge Justice Qazi Faiz Essa for the distribution of agricultural land to the government employees.

HRCP Vice-Chairman Khizar Kazi said the bonded labour situation in Sindh is alarming and cases are increasing. He pointed out that there is a need to form district vigilance committees in all 30 districts. These committees should be in urban areas, he added.

Zeenat Hisam, the researcher of the report, said that the good thing was that the names of big landlords, who have kept their peasants in bond, has been mentioned.

Abid Niaz Khan, a representative of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in Pakistan, said that Convention No 11 of ILO for right to association of agriculture workers was ratified by the British government in India 1919.

Pakistan inherited that convention, but no serious efforts were made. The Sindh government recently provided the right to association to agriculture workers under the Industrial Relations Act 2013.

Senior trade union leader and President of People's Labour Bureau (PLB) Habibuddin Junaidi said that after the 18th Amendment, many labour laws have been made in Sindh. Implementation of laws is a matter of concern and for that a comprehensive struggle is required, he said.

Chairperson of Sindh Commission of Status of Women Nuzhat Shireen said that the organisation has started holding a series of meetings with gari women in Sindh to know their working conditions.

Nasir Mansoor, Secretary General of National Trade Union Federation (NTUF, said a general workers trade union of Haris and two trade unions of women peasant workers have been established in Sindh.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2021.