KARACHI: The new labour policy is expected by the end of this month or early next month, the Central Labour Secretary Mr A.K.M. Ahsan told newsmen in Karachi yesterday [May 17]. It would be based on the guidelines submitted to the Council of Administration by the Deputy Chief Martial Law Administrator Air Marshal Nur Khan following his detailed discussions with workers and the employers’ representatives in Karachi and other parts of Pakistan.

Mr Ahsan disclosed that the Steering Committee of the Labour Ministry would be meeting in Islamabad on May 19 to consider the recommendations made at the just-concluded labour conference ... Winding up the deliberations, he told the representatives of the workers and employers that the Government was wedded to the policy of reconciliation, arbitration and adjudication. Mr Ahsan said the joint consultative bodies are to be reactivised in Pakistan so that a democratic way of finding solution to labour problems could be adopted.

... Mr Ahsan felt happy that the conference, which was inaugurated by him on Thursday, succeeded in reaching agreement on a fairly large area. Disagreement remained confined only to the question of minimum wages, he added. He was also happy that the conference conducted its deliberations in an atmosphere of sanity and goodwill.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2019