ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: Federal Minister for Labour, Manpower and Overseas Pakistanis Owais Ahmed Ghani has said that World Bank’s (WB) support and assistance is needed for social sector development, as the government with its limited resources cannot afford to run welfare programmes on its own.

The minister was talking to a World Bank mission headed by John Panzer, which had called on him here on Saturday.

Both sides discussed matters concerning the local industry specially the progress on simplification and consolidation of labour laws.

The minister, while briefing the Mission on labour laws, stated that the present government encouraged good employer-employee relationship and their mutual understanding and cooperation.

“A progressive labour policy, featuring the Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002 (IRO-2002), has been prepared after consultation with all the stakeholders to improve the working conditions and relationship between employers and employees and promote positive trade unionism, he said and added, the policy and the ordinance would be promulgated after approval of the Cabinet.