January 16, 2003	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 12, 1423

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RAWALPINDI, Jan 15: Federal Minister of Labour and Manpower Abdus Sattar Lalika on Wednesday said the government could amend the Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO) 2002 into a more labour- friendly law after arranging a social dialogue among the labours and the owners.

He said this while speaking at the national conference of All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions (APFTU) held at the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Press Club. About 400 workers along with leaders of their unions and federations participated in the conference from all over the country.

The minister said he appreciated the positive role of the working class for the development of the country and would spare no effort for their prosperity. He said the country should prepare itself to face the challenges of globalisation through hardwork, honesty and an amicable policy-making.

Earlier, the general secretary of international confederation of free trade unions and Asian and Pacific regional organisation (ICFTU-APRO), Mr Suzuki said globalisation should be used for the betterment and development of the working class and not for the exploitation of the latter.

He said the world economy was monopolised by only 20 per cent of the industrialists, while a big chunk of world population was living from hand to mouth.

He termed the formation of labour and worker unions as the basics of democracy and also asked the workers to forge unity in their ranks and fight for their rights at local, national and international levels. He further said the problems of the working class could be solved very easily by the government through social dialogues.

Earlier, in their speeches, Mohammad Amin Rathore and Khurshid Ahmad, the president and general secretary of APFTU respectively, urged Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali to announce a relief package for the working class and poor segments of the society.

They also urged the government to repeal the anti-labour legislations including IRO 2002, which was repugnant to the ILO conventions ratified by Pakistan and introduce social and economic radical reforms to abolish feudalism, establish an egalitarian society based on social justice, fraternity, equality and democracy besides, free the national economy from the handicaps of the international financial institutions and stop privatisation of organisations like Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA, PTCL, Oil and Gas Development Corporation (OGDC) etc.

They also appealed to the government to confirm permanent appointments of the contract, work-charged, daily labours and temporary workers and withdraw the restrictions imposed on exercise of fundamental trade union rights.