KARACHI, Nov 10: Sindh and Punjab governments failed to utilize Rs120 million allocated by the federal government three years back for the release and rehabilitation of the bonded families.

The funds were to be utilized through vigilance committees formed at district level, PPI learnt.

The federal government had formulated a national policy and action plan on bonded labour three years back under which the provincial governments were allocated the amount for the rehabilitation as well as initiating skills training of the victims.

Under the plan, the provincial governments had to form district level vigilance committees to inquire the facts, ensure release of victims and take action against the criminals. However, the plan seemed to be in doldrums, said Zulfiqar Shah, Senior Research Associate of the PILER while talking to PPI.

Zulfiqar Shah, engaged in conducting a comprehensive study over the issue, said that district vigilance committees had been formed in 18 districts of Sindh and Punjab provinces recently under the supervision of district nazims. He further said that only Hyderabad Vigilance Committee could convene its first meeting to discuss the issue.

Despite the fact that Pakistan is signatory to the ILO Convention, the authorities have failed to implement the international labour laws. About 1.2 million bonded workers are spending highly miserable life in the agriculture sector in Sindh province.

The ILO General Assembly held in 1991 had asked Pakistan to ensure implementation of the convention and the then rulers had introduced Bonded Labour Abolition (System) Act 1992. They introduced another law in 1995 in which they declared that those involved in this crime should be taken to task, but all in vain.

Different civil society organizations including HRCP, Green Rural Development Organization and Bhandar Hari Sangat have initiated intervention with the help of judiciary and got released a number of families who had been spending their lives like slaves in different parts of the province.

The GRDO has initiated a rehabilitation project at a Hari Camp located near Hyderabad where health and education facilities are being provided to them.

Akhtar Baloch, Provincial Coordinator of the HRCP, said that the affected communities needed permanent rehabilitation which was the responsibility of the state.

He was of the view that land reforms were the only way out to bring any change in the life of the most oppressed communities engaged in their traditional work in the agriculture sector.

"Landlords are violating agricultural laws. Nobody bothers to keep 'Khasra Girdvari Form' in which landowners are bound to maintain record of their farm workers," Mr Baloch said.

Since 1980, there has been no record of farmers with landlords in Sindh mainly because they were sitting in the legislative body, the human rights activist said.

He deplored that there was no check and balance even on the banks, which were providing loans to the landlords who used peasants' NICs to get such loans without taking them into confidence.

Whenever natural calamity hits any area the government benefits landlords, who claim losses of their crops and demand withdrawal of taxes. The government issues immediate orders for suspending the agricultural taxes of millions of rupees because of the devastating rains and floods. While the fact is that peasant workers are shareholders who should also be benefited through the government's good deed.

HRCP official suggested to recognize the rights of farmers and said that land reforms would be favourable step by the government to ease the life of thousand of depressed families. -PPI