President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday reiterated their commitment to the dignity of labour and ensuring to translate the benefits of economic progress into prosperity for all sections of the population, particularly the labourers and workers.
In their separate messages, Alvi and Shehbaz paid rich tributes to the valiant and heroic struggle of the workers for their fundamental rights, highlighting their pivotal role in the economic development of the country.
Pakistan, like the rest of the world, will observe the International Labour Day on Monday (today) to pay rich tributes to the workers, who laid down their lives for the achievement of their rights in Chicago on May 1, 136 years ago.
The International Labour Day or May Day spreads awareness about the workers’ rights and also recognises their accomplishments. In Pakistan, special programmes to commemorate the day have been chalked out by the representatives of various labour organisations.
“We believe that workers and employers are partners in the production process and their cooperation is essential for industrial efficiency that ultimately leads to socio-economic uplift of the country,” Alvi said, in his message on the eve of May Day.
Alvi noted the labourers in the country were facing many issues like unsafe working environment, unfair labour practices, poor wages, lack of job security, harassment of women at the workplace, long working hours and arbitrary dismissal.
He emphasised that the labour force was the backbone of “our economy and it is highly essential to take steps for the protection of their rights” by strictly enforcing the labour laws to discourage unfair labour practices.
“I urge workers of the country to play their role in making Pakistan economically stronger and vibrant country. I also urge upon employers to ensure the protection of the rights of labour and work for their welfare,” he said.
In a separate message, Prime Minister Shehbaz reiterated that the government was committed to ensuring that the benefits of economic progress translated into prosperity for all sections of the population, particularly the laboureres and workers.
“The day symbolises the sanctity and dignity of labour and at the same time, it is an acknowledgement of the importance of workers and labourers for being central to the economic growth of the country,” he said.
The prime minister called upon all the stakeholders to renew their pledge both at the individual and collective levels to ensure the welfare of working classes by investing in their socio-economic and social wellbeing.
“Respect for hard work and recognition of the rights of workers are extremely important in the process of progress. Islam accords the sanctity to these fundamental human rights much before the establishment of labour laws,” he added.
The prime minister said that the present government was committed to improving the working and living conditions of workers and to supplement their welfare by providing better housing, education facilities and health cover for them and their families.
Keeping in view the high inflation rates and other economic challenges, the government had increased the minimum wages of workers to Rs25,000 per month, he said, adding that the government had embarked on programmes of vocational training and skills development to enable workers to get their due share in job markets.
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