Chairman, Senate of Pakistan, Mian Raza Rabbani here on Sunday called for urgent compliance to landmark decision of the Supreme Court (SC) against the third party contract system in public sector organizations. Addressing, as the chief guest, a seminar held at the Karachi Press Club, he said provision of employment and protection of workers' rights have been guaranteed under the constitution of the country. "It is therefore incumbent upon both the federal and provincial governments to realize their constitutional obligations towards the workers," he said.
Chairman of the upper house of the parliament said the practice to hire workers on contract; third party system has emerged to be a tool of exploitation hence needed to be brought to absolute halt.
The senior politician also a known human rights activist said large responsibility also lie upon the masses, particularly the working class, to join hands for protection of their rights at every level. He on the occasion referred to the years when contract system was introduced in the country and gradually strengthened to safeguard the vested interests of the affluent pertaining to different sections of the society.
Highlighting relevance of the courts' decision to eliminate the contract system, he assured the participants of the seminar that the issue will be raised before the governments. "I as a public representative will approach the concerned quarters and ensure that the decision is implemented in true spirit, "said the Senate Chairman.
He reiterated that compliance of the law was urgently needed in both public and private sectors ensuring that all contract workers are duly regularized without any unwarranted delay. Mian Raza Rabbani further assured the workers that their grievances would also be communicated to the authorities for early redress.
Other speakers including Anis Haroon (Member of Human Rights Commission), Rashid A Rizvi (Former President of Supreme Court Layers' Association), Karamat Ali (Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research), senior trade unionist Liaqut Ali Sahi and KPC President, Ahmed Khan Malik appreciated that petition filed by daily wage earners, contract employees and workers hired under third party contractual system could help end their exploitation.
Supreme Court had only recently declared the practice of contract employment a violation of articles 9 and 25 of the constitution ordering the authorities of NBP and PSO to ensure regularization of the employment of workers. Workers and pensioners associated with National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) and Pakistan State Oil
(PSO) had approached the court to redress their grievances. Anis Haroon of HRCP mentioned that the minimum wage of Rs 15,000 for the workers may have been officially approved, however, is yet to be enforced. "This is in a scenario when even this amount is too little to meet the needs of an average sized family," she said regretting that tall claims about democracy are rarely complimented with genuine efforts.
Rashid A Rizvi said it was high time that constitution was enforced in letter and spirit ultimately paving way for a strong democratic culture in the country. The event was largely attended by the workers from the media industry as well from other sectors.
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