Workplace hazards

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Amid the focus on technological progress as the driver of economic growth, labour rights continue to be trampled worldwide. However, the problem is far more pronounced in developing countries like Pakistan and many Middle Eastern states that depend on cheap imported labour from South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Despite providing the backbone of every economy around the world, workers continue to face perilous conditions with insufficient protections. In Pakistan, workers' health and safety considerations seem to be an afterthought, with a recent report jointly prepared by the Government of Pakistan, ILO and EU showing that the existing framework for safeguarding their well-being is alarmingly inadequate.

The report highlights systemic failures that cannot be overlooked. While on paper, the federal and provincial policies advocate for the recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases in alignment with international standards, the reality is that many sectors, particularly informal and small-scale industries, operate in a legislative vacuum. The existing legislation is inadequate, and the lack of awareness and compliance regarding the obligations to ensure a safe working environment exposes millions of workers to unnecessary risks, including occupational diseases and injuries. One of the most telling examples of workplace hazards in Pakistan are the numbers of injuries for women in manufacturing, which represent almost 25% of all on-the-job injuries for women, even though such jobs should theoretically be safer than farmwork, where women have much more physically demanding jobs.

While it is important to support the tech industry, improving conditions for industrial and agricultural workers cannot be ignored. We need to invest in infrastructure, strengthen regulatory bodies and improve safety training to create a society where workers feel safe at work. If nothing else, at least they will feel that their employers care about their health and safety.