Islamabad (Web Desk): On the occasion of International Labour Day, President Dr Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan in their separate messages have reiterated the government's commitment to improve working and living conditions of workers and provision of housing and education facilities and extending health cover to them and their families.
In his message, President Dr Arif Alvi urged workers and employers of the country to come forward and play their role in making Pakistan a symbol of efficiency, cooperation and progress.
“On this day, we reaffirm our resolve to continue our efforts for the dignity of labour and pay tribute to their valiant and heroic struggle for their fundamental rights,” the president stated.
Prime Minister Imran Khan in his message said that the day provides us an opportunity to acknowledge invaluable contributions of our labour, both inland and abroad, towards nation building.
The premier said that the government also aims to develop automated, integrated systems for workers’ welfare institutions to ensure transparency and to curtail delays in providing relief to the workers.
“Our government is fully aware of the challenges COVID-19 situation and our policy of striking a balance between the lives and the livelihoods is aimed at enabling the work force to have sufficient earning for their families during the pandemic,” PM Imran said.
Meanwhile, the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations (UN) agency on the occasion of the Day, has stressed the need to put in place sound and resilient occupational safety and health systems that would minimize the risks for everyone in the world of work, the Radio Pakistan reported.
International Labour Day is observed every year across the world to pay tribute to workers in Chicago who were killed by police while protesting for an eight-hour workday in 1886.
In Pakistan, the first labor policy was devised in 1972, in which May 1 was declared an official holiday.
This policy also formulated the creation of the Social Security Network, Old Age Benefit Schemes and Workers Welfare Fund.
