PM calls on elite to lift labour class

LAHORE:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underscored his deep appreciation for the invaluable contributions of laborers and workers to the national economy.

Speaking at a gathering of laborers and workers from diverse sectors at his residence in honor of International Labour Day, he called upon the affluent, businessmen, investors, and industrialists to prioritize enhancing the conditions of workers.

Acknowledging the challenging economic landscape, the PM assured that the government remained steadfast in its commitment to steering the nation toward brighter prospects through concerted efforts and genuine dedication.

He expressed optimism that Pakistan would emerge as a formidable force, propelled by a fair system rooted in the diligent efforts of both employers and employees, including workers.

Furthermore, Shehbaz emphasized the government's determination to instigate significant transformations within the national economy and to reclaim billions of rupees lost to corruption.

Referring to his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Shehbaz emphasized that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Saudi leaders expressed a strong desire to see Pakistan progress on the path of development. He announced that a delegation of Saudi business and investors would soon visit Pakistan, fostering increased business activities and job opportunities in the country.

Looking ahead to the upcoming fiscal budget, the PM pledged efforts to provide additional relief to the labor class, recognizing their invaluable contribution to the nation's prosperity.

In a call to action directed at business leaders and the affluent, he urged them to extend their vision beyond personal interests and investments. He encouraged them to allocate resources towards education and healthcare projects aimed at uplifting the disadvantaged, mirroring initiatives seen in developed nations.

“It was not an objective behind the creation of Pakistan that there would be a difference between the rich and the poor.

Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah led a massive movement in which the people offered huge sacrifices. The motive was the establishment of a welfare state in which everyone would have equal opportunities to excel in life on the basis of one’s capacity and ability and take the country forward,” he added.

The prime minister reiterated that they were striving to end corruption and promised that all the organs of government and other state institutions, with their collective efforts, would carve a niche for Pakistan among the comity of nations.

He said that the labourers and workers worked hard in the most difficult conditions and helped their employers generate their businesses.

Both were like the wheels of the same carriage and their work led to progress and prosperity of the nation and country. He said if the workers were deprived of their due rights, a country could not achieve progress.

The prime minister opined that due to price hikes and inflation, life for the common man had become hard.

The prices of petroleum products had been reduced but it could not be a substitute for the daily price hike as the labour class had to meet the requirements of education for their sons and daughters, treatment for their parents, and other daily expenditures and were living from hand to mouth, he observed.

The prime minister emphasised that under the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Prophet’s (Peace Be Upon Him) messages, it was their abiding duty to bridge the differences between the rich and the poor.The prime minister recollected that his father was also a worker who attained his earlier education in Amritsar and during the 1930s settled in Lahore, where he worked along with his brothers in a steel factory.

He also recited Dr Allama Iqbal’s verse about the plight of labourers and workers and said that these couplets represented a powerful message, reflecting the voice of millions of workers in Pakistan.

The labour day started after the Chicago incident and then the movement became global, he said, adding that the Quranic teachings and the Seerah of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) highlighted the value of hard work.

The prime minister also welcomed the workers and labourers at his residence and said that he felt immense pleasure in hosting them at the residence of the late Mian Muhammad Sharif.

Earlier, Chairman PM Youth Programme Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan highlighted the personal loan scheme for the deserving children of workers and said that under the prime minister’s tenure as chief minister of Punjab, Danish schools and Educational Endowment Funds were established.