MANSEHRA: Speakers at a workshop on Tuesday stressed that the government should ensure enforcement of laws dealing with the rights of labourers.

The two-day workshop ‘labourers rights and responsibility of media’ was organised by the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) in collaboration with the Balakot Press Club. Journalists from Balakot, Abbottabad and Mansehra attended the workshop.

“It is unfortunate that laws guaranteeing rights to labourers do exist but because of lack of their implementation this important segment of society is facing serious problems,” said Zahoor Ahmad Awan, PWF central general secretary, while speaking at the inaugural session of the workshop.

Mr Awan said that the PWF had been working to end discrimination and sexual harassment against women labourers. “Though owing to the efforts of human rights organisations and labour unions cases of sexual harassment against women labourers at work have come down drastically, but still a lot needs to be done in this regard. The media should play its due role to eliminate the practice,” said Mr Awan.

He said that though laws bound employers to provide job security to employees, they avoided issuing appointment letters to labourers so they couldn’t be able to move court in case of any injustice.

On the occasion, Balakot assistant commissioner Shahid Mehmood said that until labourers were united they could not get their rights. He said that developed countries gave due rights to labourers through strengthening labour unions.

He said that journalists should give space to labourers’ issues as until labourers were given their due rights country could not progress.

Speaking on occasion, president of TV-Journalists Association, Nisar Khan Swati, said that workers were denied group insurances, medical allowances and better education to their children.

He said that workers were kept without salaries and other perks for months causing hardships to them and their families.

Speaking on occasion, journalists said that the government should make legislation to curb exploitation of labourers.

SCHOOL SEALED: The district administration on Tuesday sealed a private school for violating official orders to close down owing to security reasons.

The action was taken by assistant commissioner, Dr Qasim Ali Khan, during surprise visits to the schools in the city and its suburbs to see if any educational institution was violating official orders.

Dr Qasim visited the Light Tower Public School and College, Doraha, and found that classes were in progress, and sealed the school.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2014