Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced the creation of seven bodies – one for each industrial area of Karachi to resolve issues between workers and industrialists.
These bodies would have employers and workers on board, said the CM at a Tripartite Labour Conference organised by the Sindh Labour Department at a hotel here on Monday. Murad Ali Shah said that industrial development was linked to health, financial strength and working atmosphere of workers.
The chief minister said a worker needed to be financially satisfied and should receive decent wage. He urged the industrialists to implement minimum wage. He said that the provincial government through SESSI, Workers Welfare Board and such other institutions has constructed thousands of apartments and residential quarters and also established schools and hospitals for workers across the province.
“We consider it as our mission to serve the workers because we believe they are the main force behind our industrial growth,” he said. Murad said that Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto just after coming into power had announced labour policy, while Shaheed Benazir Bhutto advanced the policies of Shaheed Bhutto and started various welfare programmes for the workers. He also recalled the services of former president Asif Ali Zaradri who not only enhanced the minimum wage of workers but also launched housing, health and education programmes for them.
He said that it was a dream of our founder leader Shaheed Bhutto “to favour and protect the financially weak farmers, industrial labour unions and the middle class”, which was the manifesto and ultimate goal of the PPP.
He said, “We are very much focused on the implementation of labour laws and policy so that skilled and unskilled labour can lead a healthier and brighter life.” It was the ultimate goal and promise of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that the PPP would never compromise on people’s right to liberty, equality, non-discrimination, freedom of association and freedom of speech and to safeguard the rights-based policy agenda which was the fundamental principle of the party.
He said that this conference would generate some of the valuable guidelines for the provincial government to formulate new labour policy acceptable to the all stakeholders. The CM said that after the 18th Amendment workers’ welfare fund (WWF) and EOBI have been devolved and both these organisations be strengthened for the welfare of workers.
Labour Minister Syed Nasir Shah on the occasion highlighted the measures he has taken for the welfare of workers. ILO Country Director Ch Manzoor also spoke.