LAHORE, Sept 30: Punjab Labour and Human Resource Minister Muhammad Ashraf Sohna has said the government will soon issue a notification of the restoration of trade unions in accordance with the announcement of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.

Speaking as the chief guest at a seminar highlighting workers' problems, organised by the Pakistan Labour Federation and the World Asian Workers Organisation here, he said the government would not only remove restrictions imposed on the trade union activities during the dictatorial rule of Pervez Musharraf but also 'reinstate' the dismissed government employees.

He said he had directed the labour department to process the applications for registration of new trade unions within a week.