Exemplary measures to be adopted to protect workers’ rights : Afridi

ISLAMABAD, Sep 17 (APP):Minister of State for Interior,
Shehryar Khan Afridi Monday assured Pakistan Workers Federation
(PWF) that the government would adopt exemplary measures to
protect rights of workers.
Addressing the concluding session of a two-day Strategy
Workshop: Promoting Labour Standards Compliance in Textile
and Garments Sectors, he said, “Our basic objective would be to
introduce such policies to benefit workers and improve their living
standards.
He said, “Pakistan is our homeland and we need to introduce
such reforms not only to improve our image across the globe but also
ensure development and prosperity.”
He said national security is our priority and there would be
no compromise on it.
The minister while assuring his cooperation to PWF, said
he would raise voice for their rights at any forums.
Besides others, Central General Secretary, Pakistan
Workers Federation (PWF), Chaudhry Muhammad Yaqoob, Central
Organizer PWC, Zahoor Awan, Aslam Wafa and Abdul Qadir,
Program Coordinator and Advisor, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES)
Pakistan also shared their views on various aspects of working of
trade unions in Pakistan and the overall situation of workers’ rights
in the country.
The workers’ leaders were of view that the textile and the
garment sectors were the largest sectors of the economy with
largest number of employees and workers but unfortunately, the
exploited sector of the country as well.
They added that almost 40% of all industrial workers in
Pakistan are linked with textile industry whereas their
contribution in overall exports is 62 %.
Therefore, the representatives said they are facing
numerous challenges that do not auger well for the sector which
is an important part of global value chain.