September 4, 2002	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Saani25,1423

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: Pakistan has been involved in massively and flagrantly violating the seven core conventions of International Labour Organization (ILO) and it faces the wrath of European Union which had declared it a favourable country for combating the drug menace.

A report released by the International Confederation of Trade Unions says that Pakistan has ratified both the core ILO conventions on forced labour, including forced labour by children.

From Jan 1, Pakistan was granted favourable treatment under the EU’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) in view of its efforts to combat drug production and trafficking but the country will have to show the EU Commission its efforts to respect and promote all core labour standards over 2002-04, the report said.

The country has ratified both the core ILO conventions protecting trade union rights, which were violated regularly through legislation to withdraw workers’ freedom of association and promises by the governments to amend the offending laws have not been fulfilled.

The workers in export processing zones have been deprived of the right to form trade unions.

Despite Pakistan being signatory to the ILO conventions on discrimination, women and religious minorities face legal discrimination, the report says.

The report says that under ILO convention No.87 the freedom of association and protection of right to organise and convention No.98 pertaining to right to organise and collective bargaining is applicable to millions of workers in many sectors through pieces of legislation but they have not been applied.

Only about three per cent of industrial workers are covered by the right to association.