He was addressing the business community of Faisalabad in FCCI here today. He told that labour department had already launched a comprehensive awareness campaign for the elimination of child labour. During last two to three months, the children working in different shops and business concerns were identified and admitted in schools established under Public, Private Partnership.
He told that labour department is providing them free books while a proposal was under consideration to extend financial help to their families. He admitted that very few children were found working in industrial sector but there should be 100% compliance of law prohibiting child labour by the industrial sector. He told that daily his department was lodging FIRs against the persons employing underage children. He hoped that Faisalabad should arrange special functions for awareness of its members in this regard. Responding to a question about children working in houses as domestic workers, Director Labour told that the legislation on this respect was under processed.
Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain President FCCI said that export sector is 100% complying child labour and other international as well as Pakistani laws as without the compliance of these laws and protocols, they could not make exports with developed countries including European Countries. He told that government was going to introduce new labour laws and they would like to hear a comprehensive presentation on the proposed draft of new labour laws. He told that basic mandate of labour department is to facilitate the workers but the industrial sector has serious concern about contribution paid by them for the welfare of their workers. He told that industrial sector of Faisalabad is paying approximately Rs.3 billion under this head but only Rs.79 crore is being spent on them through local hospitals. "We are quite unaware of where the remaining chunk of our contribution is going", he asked. He requested officers of labour department to collect necessary data so that the local contribution must be spent on the welfare of our workers.
He further told that there is only one Social Security Hospital in Madina Town which is quite insufficient to meet the entire requirements of the workers sprawling in every nook and corner of the city. He demanded that similar hospital should also be established in Khurrianwala, Millat Town, Ghulam Muhammad Abad and Samundari Road. He also expresses concern over the pathetic conditions in Social Security dispensaries present in different parts of city.
Syed Zia Alamdar told that a proposal was moved to upgrade social security hospital into a medical college but it could not be materialized. He further told that instead of extending more facilities to the workers, they are being denied of the facilities already enjoyed by them. He told that earlier five years of service was required to quality for EOBI Pension but surprisingly, this tenure has been unilaterally enhanced to 15 years. Under this arrangement no worker will be able to get old age benefits under the prevailing circumstances. He mentioned his recent meeting with provincial labour Minister Ansar Majeed Khan and told that workers are now getting different grants but unluckily under hand deal is to be made even for the release of death grant. He pointed out that on the persistent demand of industrialists a burn unit was established in Allied hospital which has now been handed over to the dental section. He said that this decision must be reviewed to provide specialized facilities to burn patients.
Later a question answer session was held in which Secretary General Abid Masood and Chaudhry Muhammad Boota took part while Executive Member Gulzar Ahmed presented FCCI shield to Director Labour Faisalabad Munawar Ahmed Awan.