Seminar, painting exhibition highlight labour class rights

LAHORE:Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF) Pakistan organised a photo and painting exhibition at Alhamra Arts Council, The Mall and a seminar at Alhamra Hall 3 on Monday. Executive Director Piler Karamat Ali inaugurated the exhibition.

General Secretary Bonded Labour Liberation Front Pakistan Syeda Ghulam Fatima Gilani, Executive Director SAP Pakistan M Tehseen, Executive Director Aaghaz Foundation Zafar Malik, Secretary Minimum Wages Board Punjab M Shahid, Executive Director Communities Farhat Parveen, Executive Director Search for Justice M Iftikhar Mubarak, senior journalist Sher Ali Khalti, Executive Member BLLF Mahar Safdar Ali, CEO BLLF Syed Ayaz Hussain and Programme Officer BLLF M Shahbaz addressed the seminar which was attended by lawyers, civil society representatives, trade unionists and a large number of brick kiln workers.

Addressing the seminar, Karamat Ali said that Article 38 should be included in chapter of fundamental rights. According to UN convention, the government should allocate 9% of GDP for health and education and 3% for social protection, he said. He demanded removal of impediments to registration of trade unions.

Syeda Ghulam Fatima requested the Supreme Court to implement its own decisions for the elimination of bonded and child labour. Regarding 56% unemployment in Pakistan, she said that such huge decrease in employment would lead towards forced and bonded labour.

M Shahid emphasised the need to form special task force for implementation of minimum wages award 2023. At the end of the seminar, the workers rallied before Alhamra, The Mall demanding govt to include workers in all welfare schemes. The participants of the rally demanded that the government should allocate 9% of GDP for health and education and 3% for social protection for eradication of child labour.

They demanded to issue social security card, housing, water and sanitation facilities to brick kiln workers. Chief minister must probe into the registration of fake criminal cases against brick kiln workers and take action against responsible police officers. All the political parties urged to address the issue of bonded labour/forced labour in their constituency and cancel membership of anyone found involved in evil practice of bonded labour.