ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday summoned the director of the Islamabad Capital Territory Labour Department while hearing a matter relating to implementation of labour laws.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah ordered the director to appear in the court on Aug 31 and give an explanation for being unable to address complaints of labourers.

During the course of hearing Omer Ijaz Gillani, an amicus curiae in this matter, drew the attention of the court towards the meager resources of the Labour Department.

He said in a city of over two million populations, the Labour Department is working with four staff only.

He claimed the complaint of any labourer could not be addressed because of the scarcity of the staff and lack of proper resources.

Gillani was among the commission constituted by the IHC to examine the enforcement as well as violation of labour laws in brick kilns in the capital territory.

The commission consists of Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat, Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union General Secretary Mohammad Shabir, a representative of the Advocate General of Islamabad, Daniyal Hassan, and Adnan Haider Randhawa and Umer Ijaz Gillani, advocates of the high court.

A representative of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and Shakeel Anjum, the president of National Press Club, were also members of the commission.

The commission in its report stated that bonded labour by virtue of debt is a form of modern slavery.

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2021