LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has constituted a commission comprising the labour department secretary, a representative from Unicef and three lawyers to ensure that the provincial government takes legislative measures to protect fundamental rights of domestic workers.

Justice Jawad Hassan was hearing a petition on Tuesday moved by Advocate Sheraz Zaka questioning failure of the government to implement the rights of domestic workers. He said former chief justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah had in 2015 directed the government to frame a policy on the wages of domestic workers. He argued that three years had passed and the government had taken no step to frame the policy.

Justice Hassan observed that domestic workers were being subjected to long hours of work and were also being harassed by their employers as recently several incidents surfaced involving torture of underage domestic workers.

The judge further observed that if wages of workers in industrial establishments could be notified under Minimum Wages Act 1969, the wages of domestic workers should also be notified. He formed the commission directing it to report on progress of the government on legislative measures to safeguard the rights of domestic workers. The members of the commission from legal fraternity include Sheraz Zaka, Sahar Umar Ata Bandial and Ahmad Pansota. The court would resume hearing on March 19.

DISPOSED OF: The LHC disposed of a petition challenging appointment of a woman professor of the Punjab University and directed its vice chancellor to decide the matter after hearing point of view of both the parties.

Associate Professor Dr Rafia Rafiq of the PU had contended, through her counsel, that Prof Dr Farah Malik had been appointed in violation of law.

Ms Malik’s counsel opposed the petition for being time barred and said the petitioner had not assailed the appointment when it was made in 2013.

The petitioner’s counsel pointed out that a representation by the petitioner had been lying pending before the VC.

At this, Justice Jawad Hassan disposed of the petition and directed the VC to decide the representation after affording opportunity of hearing to both the parties.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2018