WWF, NRC under fire over poor facilities for labourers

Lawmakers on Saturday raised serious questions over the performance, transparency and ground realities of the Workers Welfare Fund's (WWF) housing and healthcare projects.

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development met under Chairman Syed Agha Rafiullah to review the welfare of industrial labourers and their families.

Chairman Rafiullah asked the officials to clarify how many housing units had been constructed for workers so far and to explain the criteria and procedure for their allotment.

"We also want to know what measures have been taken to provide health facilities and accident-related assistance to labourers," he added, questioning the education initiatives being extended to workers' families.

Briefing the committee, the chairman of the National Reference Committee (NRC) informed members that the WWF currently managed 88 housing projects nationwide, with allotments in provinces being made on either ownership or rental basis.

He said that these houses were being provided to workers at nominal rents, while provincial boards supervise all local welfare projects.

The NRC chairman added that residents of these complexes were also provided health and education facilities, and that the boards establish healthcare projects based on community needs.

He said that in Punjab, the social security institute was managing these health projects, ensuring free medical facilities for registered workers.

However, PPP lawmaker Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto denounced the state of affairs. "The situation on the ground is not as ideal as you describe."

She alleged that in Hattar and Taxila, property mafias had taken control of several workers' housing societies, and questioned the presence of private hospitals like Shifa International on the WWF's governing board.

The NRC officials responded that data on workers employed in industrial areas was collected to determine the provision of facilities. "Some hospitals are under our administrative control and workers are treated through them," the chairman said.

Chairman Rafiullah expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation, questioning the double standards in healthcare access. "You yourselves seek treatment in major hospitals, while the workers are left to rely on local facilities," he noted.

"The facilities you are providing to the workers are insufficient," he said, pressing WWF and NRC officials to elaborate on the exact mechanism through which health services are provided.

The officials reiterated that some hospitals directly operated under their supervision, through which medical care for workers is provided.