PPP leader Senator Farhatullah Babar said on Thursday Pakistan has become a majoritarian state, not a welfare state.
He was delivering his keynote address at a panel discussion titled “Adherence to International Labour Standards in Sindh” organised by the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC), in collaboration with the Sindh Labour Department and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST)-Karachi.
During his address, Babar emphasized that the need for all stakeholders to come together to address the issues faced by the people. He was advocating for land reforms to ensure that means of production, including land, are not monopolized under the guise of security.
Babar expressed concern over proposed tax on solar panels, asserting that they should be resisted to prevent further exploitation. He highlighted the control of technology and religious interpretation by certain entities, stating that technology should not be used as a tool against labour.
He also addressed the longstanding issue of implementation of laws in Pakistan, particularly in the labor-capital relationship, which has persisted for centuries.
"TV channel owners do not allow the formation of trade unions in their organizations," Babar stated, pointing out the concentration of wealth in few hands and the regional disparities in political representation, citing the example of Balochistan having only 16 seats compared to Faisalabad's 29 in the National Assembly.
The SHRC Chairman Mr. Iqbal Detho said the Commission is a statutory body. Sindh has enacted many pro-wonen laws including Sindh Women Agricultural Workers Act and the Home Based Workers Act.
We conducted a week-long Labour Academy course at NILAT.
The SHRC has taken suo motos on many issues such as child labor and free and compulsory education.
We have made efforts to get notified minimum wages and are currently working on getting them implemented.
Sindh Minister for Labour, Shahid Abdul Salam, affirmed the provincial government's commitment to implementing international labor conventions, while Ms. Anis Haroon, a member of the National Commission for Human Rights, commended the European Union's decision to extend the GSP-Plus for the next four years, emphasizing the need for political will for effective law enforcement.
The discussion also covered various initiatives and challenges faced in implementing labor laws and international conventions in Sindh, including the increase in exports, signing of human rights conventions, and measures taken by the SHRC.
Representatives from different organizations and departments, including Ms. Rida Tahir, Legal Consultant, SHRC; Mr. Jamil Junejo, Executive Coordinator - TIC, Human Rights Department, Government of Sindh; Shah az Wazir Ali of SZABIST; Mr. Nasir Mansoor of National Trade Unions Federation, Mr. Abdullah Dayo of FES; and Secretary of Labour department Tehseen Fatima, provided insights into ongoing efforts and challenges in ensuring labor rights and adherence to international standards in Sindh.
Nasir Mansoor, the General Secretary of the National Trade Union Federation, expressed concerns that workers' wages are being stolen and minimum wages are not being provided. He also highlighted the absence of student and trade unions. He demanded the scrapping of the National Industrial Relations Council, citing it as a breach of the 18th Amendment of the Constitution.
Ms. Zehra Khan noted that home-based workers, who are mostly women, are not receiving their wages. Although the law has included males and transgender individuals as home-based workers, implementation remains a major challenge despite good legislation being in place.
Syed Athar Shah from the Sindh Labour department emphasized the importance of adhering to ILO Conventions, stating that all national laws should be in line with them.