PESHAWAR, Nov 28: The NWFP Minister for Industries, Labour, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, Malik Zafar Azam, has said that the labour community plays a key role in the overall development of a country and the provincial government was taking measures for its wellbeing.

Presiding over a meeting of Pakistan Workers Federation, Peshawar Chapter at Civil Secretariat on Monday, he said that the government, despite meagre resources, was taking concrete steps for the promotion of industrialisation in the province, which, he hoped, would not only create job opportunities but also improve standard of life of industrial workers.

Referring to the problems of workers, Malik Zafar said the provincial government was fully aware of their problems which, he pledged, would be resolved on priority basis. He added that during the three-year period of the government, relations between employer and employee had improved to a great extent.

He elaborated that due to positive steps of the government investors from abroad and within the country have started taking more interest in investment. Soon its results would be visible, he maintained.

Director Labour Khalid Durrani, labour leader Abdul Rab Sabir and other office bearers of the federation also attended the meeting.

The meeting thoroughly discussed issues like minimum wages of Rs 3000, implementation of labour laws and eradication of child labour were discussed.