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Labour Day message: PM Shehbaz hails workers as central to economic growth

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  • PM says Labour Day symbolises sanctity, dignity of labour.
  • Reaffirms govt’s commitment to improving living conditions of workers.
  • President Alvi highlights need to provide labourers with modern skill sets.

As the world marks Labour Day today (Monday), Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has highlighted the workers’ pivotal role in economic development, in his message on the occasion.

“The day symbolises the sanctity and dignity of labour, and at the same time, it was an acknowledgment of the importance of workers and labourers for being central to the economic growth of the country,”
a press release issued by the media wing of PM Office quoted the premier as saying. 

Labour Day, also known as May Day is observed around the world on May 1 every year to express solidarity and honour the rights of the labour class. The day celebrates the work and achievements of labourers across the globe and initiate steps for the provision of job protection to them against any exploitation.

In his message on Labour Day, PM Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the working and living conditions of workers and to supplementing their welfare through the provision of better housing, education facilities and health cover for them and their families.

The present government was committed to ensuring the benefits of economic progress translated into prosperity for all sections of the population, particularly the labourers and workers, he said.

PM Shehbaz further stated that international workers’ day reminds us of the sacrifices of the workers who laid down their lives while waging a relentless struggle for their rights.

“Our great religion, Islam, emphasises the principles of social justice, equity and respect for the rights of the people. Allah Almighty and the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) have ordered us to fulfill the rights of the workers and not be lax in the performance of this core duty,” the premier was quoted saying.

He said they found numerous inspiring examples of the dignity of labourers and respect for the rights of the working class in the life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Keeping in view the high inflation rates and other economic challenges, PM Shehbaz said that the government had increased the minimum wages of workers from Rs17,500 to Rs25,000 per month.

He further stated that the government also aimed to develop automated, integrated systems for workers’ welfare institutions to ensure transparency and to curtail delays in providing relief to the labourers and workers.

Labour force is backbone of our economy: Alvi

Meanwhile, President Dr Arif Alvi said that this year the nation was celebrating Labour Day with the resolve to reaffirm commitment to the dignity of labour and pay tribute to the valiant and heroic struggle of the workers for their fundamental rights.

“The day is not only a reminder of the struggle of workers but also an acknowledgement of their contribution towards economic development. 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,” the president said.

He regretted that despite their contribution towards economic prosperity, labourers were facing many issues like the unsafe working environment, unfair labour practices, poor wages, lack of job security, harassment of women at the workplace, long working hours and arbitrary dismissal.

“The labour force is 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,”

He highlighted the need to provide the “huge labour force and youth bulge” of Pakistan with modern skill sets to put the economy on fast-track development.

The president hoped that the federal and provincial governments would continue their endeavours to work for their welfare as well as to provide them with marketable skill sets.

He also urged the workers of the country to play their role in making the country economically stronger and vibrant, and employers to ensure the protection of the rights of labour and work for their welfare.

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LHC requests report on dangers to PTI founder’s life

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The Punjab Advocate General’s report about threats to the life of PTI founder Imran Khan while he was incarcerated was requested by the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday.

Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmed Khan of the LHC Court made the order while considering a request for the PTI founder’s security in jail made by President Afzal Azim of the Tehreek-e-Insaf Lawyers Forum.

Advocate Afzal requested that the court impose severe security measures on the PTI founder, arguing that the jail authorities had prohibited their meeting with him due to security concerns.

Advocate General Khalid Ishaq questioned the application’s maintainability as soon as the proceedings began. He stated that since it was the Punjab government’s responsibility to safeguard him, he would request a report on security concerns.

We cannot afford any more significant mishaps, Chief Justice Khan said. While Benazir Bhutto and Liaquat Ali Khan were slain, the founder of the PTI managed to elude a murderous attempt on his life.

He gave the counsel general instructions to find out how concerned the PTI founder is about security.

The plea can be heard in the Rawalpindi bench, not in the primary seat, the advocate general objected.

The hearing was postponed till April 3 by Chief Justice Khan, who instructed Attorney Afzal to present his petition on the following date.

Recall that on Thursday, Advocate Afzal petitioned the court to order the Punjab Home Department and the federal government to give the PTI founder greater security.

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“Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card” for farmers gets approved by CM Punjab

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At a meeting on agricultural reforms, Punjab’s Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz presided over the approval of the “Nawaz Sharif Kisan Card” for farmers.

Farmers would receive a variety of subsidies through the Kisan Card scheme, and 500,000 small farmers in Punjab will be eligible for loans totaling Rs 150 billion over the course of a year. Each farmer will receive Rs 30,000 for every acre of land used for agriculture.

CM Maryam Nawaz announced during the meeting that a model agriculture center will be constructed in each district of the province with the assistance of the commercial sector, enabling farmers to discard phony fertilizers and medications.

The establishment of a cutting-edge center of excellence for research development on cotton, wheat, and rice crops was approved during the conference, and the Agriculture Department was instructed to gather comprehensive data on the production and demand of each crop.

Participants in the conference decided to link the research center with local universities and to give the board authority over administrative matters.

It was also decided to construct a research and development center at Agricultural University Faisalabad with Chinese participation, at a cost of Rs 2 billion.

In addition, it was decided to hire 500 agricultural graduates, update the Punjab Seed Corporation and Punjab Agricultural Research Board’s organizational structures, provide a bill that forbids the use of agricultural land for residential purposes, and outfit the Agricultural Extension Wing with cutting-edge machinery.

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Khalid Maqbool calls the ‘non-local’ police that were placed in Karachi ‘injustice’.

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Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the convener of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), described the imposition of “non-local” police and administration on the port city as an injustice for the people, as reported by The News on Friday.

During a labor wing of the party-organized iftar dinner in North Nazimabad, the politician claimed that Karachi had non-local police, calling this an injustice to the city’s residents.

Siddiqui questioned why the province’s capital city had a non-local police force, pointing out that other major centers in Sindh had their own citizens working in state and federal organizations.

We are going through numerous political phases as a country, and we are forced to use non-local administration and law enforcement. However, the MQM-P has once again reclaimed from the non-locals the mandate of the province’s metropolitan districts,” Siddiqui stated.

Siddiqui claimed that “ghair maqami,” or non-local, bandits were killing young people in Karachi through street violence, citing the city’s growing number of youth fatalities from such incidents.

“Young people in the city are being brutally murdered by out-of-town bandits during Ramadan,” the MQM-P leader claimed.

He went on to say that Sindh’s “racist” administration had been given free rein and that although his party had been silent throughout Ramadan, it will now speak out about the deaths of young people in the city at the hands of outside bandits.

Siddiqui emphasized that if it took going to the streets to defend women’s honor, the MQM-P would not think twice about making any sacrifice. The ad hoc organizing committee of the party was also present at the occasion.

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