KARACHI: Workers and rights activists staged a rally in the metropolis on Sunday and demanded abolition of the contractual employment system, implementation of labour laws and an immediate halt to privatisation of state institutions, corporate farming and construction of six canals over the Indus initiatives.

The rally, jointly organised by the National Trade Union Fed­eration Pakistan (NTUF) and the Home-Based Women Wo­r­kers Federation Pakistan (HBWWF), began from Regal Chowk and culminated at the Karachi Press Club, where lab­o­ur leaders delivered speeches.

Participants of the rally, including women, carried red flags, banners and placards and shouted slogans in favour of their demands. Zehra Khan and Riaz Abbasi led the rally.

They demanded that the contract labour system be criminalised and abolished, workers must receive permanent emplo­yment, written appointment letters and be paid declared wages through bank accounts.

Activists ask Sindh labour dept to abandon ‘anti-worker policies’

They also asked authorities to ensure implementation of labour laws in workplaces and registration of all workers with social security and pension institutions.

The activists also voiced concern over the government’s privatisation of state institution, construction of additional canals and corporate farming initiatives and demanded a halt to these projects.

The participants also demanded that international fashion brands must adhere to local labour laws and European Parliament regulations.

Speaking on the occasion, Nasir Mansoor of the NTUF said that the Sindh and Punjab governments, in collaboration with the ILO, were conspiring to legalise the third-party contract system, which deprived workers of their basic rights and identity.

He accused the ILO of violating Convention 144, which advocates for tripartite consultation. “We will take legal action agai­n­st these anti-worker measures nationally and internationally, particularly in Switzerland. Con­tacts with other South Asian lab­our organisations had also begun for a united response,” he said.

Zehra Khan of the HBWWF criticised the Sindh labour depa­rtment for failing to ensure payment of government-decl­ared wages. “Due to the ministry’s incompetence, 90 per cent of work­ers in Sindh remain depri­v­ed of minimum wages,” she said.

She urged PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to intervene immediately to prevent further damage to his party’s reputation caused by the labour department’s inaction.

Qazi Khizar of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan highlighted the rising unemployment and poverty, blaming anti-worker policies imposed under international financial institutions’ directives. Despite government claims of economic progress, over 4.5 million people were unemployed, and 95m lived below the poverty line, he said.

Habib Junaidi, Khaliq Jun­ajo, Saeed Baloch, Dr Asghar Ali Dashti, Aqib Hussain and others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2025