ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OPHRD) Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari on Saturday said the government was striving to ameliorate socio-economic conditions of the labourers under Prime Minister Imran Khans vision of Mazdoor Ka Ehsaas.

He said the OPHRD ministry was committed to the PMs vision of Mazdoor Ka Ehsaas, aimed at ensuring equitable distribution of resources in the society and giving all the workers a right to a basic standard of living. Zulfikar Bukhari was co-chairing a webinar with SAPM on Poverty Alleviation and Social Protection Dr. Sania Nishtar.

The webinar was hosted by Ehsaas to launch Mazdoor Ka Ehsaas Report.

SAPM Bukhari vowed all-out efforts to improve living conditions of the workers both in Pakistan and overseas. He urged all the provinces to step up their efforts to protect the labourers rights and ensure their welfare. On the occasion, he also shed light on functioning of two labour-centric departments of the OPHRD ministry, namely Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and Workers Welfare Fund (WWF).

He said both the organizations were extending social security to employees and eligible workers in the form of old-age pension, survivors pension, invalidity pensions, old-age grants, low-cost housing facilities and other welfare measures including education, training and re-skilling of workers.

The SAPM said the present government had increased the EOBI pensioners annuity twice in its tenure. The monthly pension had been raised to Rs 8,500 from Rs 5,250.

He said a large number of workers from formal sector were registered with the EOBI, adding There is also a realization that workers in informal sector also need social protection and the government is considering certain legislative measures which once implemented will cover workers in informal sector including households as well as overseas Pakistanis.

Zulfikar Bukhari explained functioning of the WWF and mentioned its pro-workers initiatives, taken during the tenure of present government.

It included allotment of 1008 flats and 500 houses to the industrial labourers at Labour Colony, Zone V, Islamabad, and disbursement of marriage and death grants to plethora of workers.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2021