May 03, 2007	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 15, 1428

ISLAMABAD, May 2: Pakistan has to create more synergies through public-private partnerships in labour productivity and efficiency.

This was stated by Chief Executive Officer of Competitiveness Support Fund Arthur Bayhan while briefing the labour ministry officials on the strength and weaknesses of the market efficiency and labour productivity indicators, where Pakistan is lacking behind.

The CSF is a joint initiative of the finance ministry and USAID. It is part of the $1.5 billion in aid that the US government is providing to Pakistan over five years to improve economic growth, education, health and governance.

Mr Bayhan said that CSF will be cooperating closely on the new initiatives of the ministry of labour in improving Pakistan’s ranking on the market efficiency and labour productivity indicators.

The presentation highlighted the competitiveness aspects of the labour issues in Pakistan with respect to the global competitiveness report (GCR) of the World Economic Forum and the State of Pakistan’s Competitiveness Report of the CSF.

The GCR identifies inadequately educated workforce, poor work ethics in national labour force and restrictive labour practices as most problematic factors in doing business in Pakistan.

Mr Bayhan emphasised the importance of strengthening the public-private partnership to promote vocational schools and to enhance the efficiency and productivity to sustain the economic growth in Pakistan.

“It is important to increase the quality of the business and management schools in the private sector should be encouraged to provide more opportunities for training. In this regard, the CSF will get in touch with its partner institutions such as Pakistan Business Council and the FPCCI,” he added.

Labour Secretary Asif Hayat informed the delegation that his ministry’s focus was on actively involving the private sector in increasing the labour productivity in the country. The CSF delegation was also informed that under the apprenticeship law all firms having more than 50 employees are required to provide internship opportunities.

However, there is a lack of willingness on the part of private sector to comply with this so that the labour productivity could be improved.