August 01, 2008	Friday	Rajab 28, 1429

KARACHI, July 31: Hari courts will be established in Sindh to provide immediate justice to agriculture workers.

This was declared by the provincial law and parliamentary affairs minister, Ayaz Soomro, while speaking at a focused group discussion with parliamentarians on the issue of Reforms in the Sindh Tenancy Act, organised by the National Coalition Against Bonded Labour (NCABL), late on Wednesday.

A proposal for socio-economic protection to agriculture workers through reforms in the Sindh Tenancy Act and legislative changes in relevant protection laws were the main issues discussed during the meeting, which was attended by members of the NCABL, SPARC, PILER, Actionaid and a farmers organization.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Soomro said the provincial government had made a comprehensive plan to address the core issues of agriculture workers, such as immediate justice, socio-economic protection to farmers.

He said to address the increasing number of bonded labour and vulnerability of the families of farmers, the government had decided to establish Hari courts to provide easy and immediate access to justice to agriculture workers.

He said that after the cabinet’s approval Hari courts would be set up in various districts of the province.

For the socio-economic protection of agriculture workers, the minister said a special fund for the financial support to needy families of agriculture workers had been established. According to him, the special fund for financial support to poor families would be allocated from the Baitul Maal.

He added that in the next session of the assembly a motion would be moved to constitute a special committee on agriculture and food, with the mandate to identify the gaps and needs of reforms in the existing Tenancy Act. He added that the report submitted by the previous special committee on reforms in the Tenancy Act would be reviewed.

He declared that the provincial government had sent a letter to the chief justice of the Supreme Court to extend its approval for the establishment of drug courts at Sukkur and Larkana. He explained that at present there was only one drug court in the provincial capital.

Ayaz Soomro announced that, on the behalf of his ministry, Rs10,000 would be given to each lawyer for his legal aid support in the release of juvenile, bonded labourers.

Haji Anwer Ali Mahar, a member of provincial assembly and the chairman of previous special committee on Reforms in Tenancy Act, said that a special fund should be allocated for those farmers who were in debt. He said that bondage in agriculture was a consequence of advance money (Peshgi). He said a tenant could not pay back the amount he received in terms of Peshgi because of low income from production. He said that to eliminate the bondage, the government should provide special funds to those tenants who were under debt.

Talking on the issue, Iqbal Detho, the technical adviser to the NCABL suggested that the existing district vigilance committees should be activated through empowering them with the mandate to address the issue of tenant and growers. He proposed that special funds be allocated for the rehabilitation of families of bonded labourers living in shelter camps. He also reminded the political parties of their commitment to end the bonded labour.

Zulfiqar Shah of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research said agriculture workers should be treated like industrial workers and special funds be allocated for their social welfare and economic safeguards.