LAHORE: The Punjab labour and human resource department has launched a campaign to implement payment of minimum wages of Rs37,000 to (unskilled) workers serving at all kinds of establishments in the province.

The labour department says the department will also approach media organisations and private schools for the payment of minimum wages to all their employees.

“The labour department has registration of some 1.2 million workers but the department’s mandate is to ensure that every employee working in a factory, shop, restaurant, workshops or any other establishment must be given minimum Rs37,000 per month wages,” says labour department secretary Naeem Ghaus.

He said the labour inspectors had been instructed to visit factories, shops, restaurants, workshops and other workplaces and challan the employers, who were found not paying minimum notified wages to their workers, besides ensuring occupational safety, health, hygiene and a conducive environment. “Those found violating the minimum wages orders will be challaned and submitted to courts, which can hand over six months imprisonment or Rs50,000 fine or both,” the secretary said.

Labour dept to approach media houses, private schools for payment of minimum wages

Mr Ghaus said it was mandatory for all employers at all workplaces to pay a minimum Rs37,000 per month wages to their employees, even unskilled. He said the department was also working to get employees registered who were not registered with the labour department by their employers. He said the labour department wanted to ensure the payment of minimum wages at media houses, but it lacked capacity issues, including a lack of human resources. He also acknowledged that the department knew that private schools were exploiting employees and not paying even minimum wages to faculty members with graduation and post-graduation degrees.

The secretary said the department would soon present a plan to the chief minister to increase its human resources to fulfill its duties effectively. Citing capacity issues, Mr Ghaus said the department had 20,000 registered organisations to monitor with only 150 labour inspectors in the province. He said the chief minister would be requested to sanction more posts in the labour department to ensure implementation of its policies and government instructions.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025