The Labour Day

There is always a holiday on the Labour Day in Pakistan at private and government level. The rights for labourers are demanded in these functions, seminars, rallies and processions. It is pledged that all hurdles must be removed in this way. The labourers will have equal rights. The whole day passes in these claims, slogans and promises. The sun sets and the fate decides otherwise. The problems of the labourers cannot be solved only by celebrating the Labour Day. They need basic human rights, health and education facilities, residence, jobs and security. The labour laws are made only by keeping in view the number of the registered labourers. Though there are millions of people who work in fields, hotels and workshops but they are not registered with any institution. I suggest that they should be registered with social security network. The landlords and the capitalists enjoy the fruit of their labour. Unfortunately, the same groups raise their voices in favour of the labourers who usurp their rights. They deceive them again and again.

Our real objective is to protect the rights of the labourers. Their families should have the benefits of their hard work. When JI will come into power, it makes the labourers a share holder in the production of fields and factories. There is a severe crisis of gas and electricity in the country. The industrial units and factories are under great pressure. Thousands of labourers have become jobless because factories have been locked due to the energy crisis. Government is not taking serious steps to put an end to this crisis. Government is paying its full attention to Metro, Orange Line, roads and bridges. Everything was going well without these luxuries. These projects are nothing but wastage of money. Health, education, jobs, residence, peace and security are the basic demands of the people. Unluckily, government absolutely failed in all these fields. It seems that there is a chaos in every department of the government. Unemployment is continuously increasing. Usually, quality education is being given in private institutions. These institutions are so expensive that they are unaffordable for the middle class. Everyone is worried because books and copies of these institutions are very expensive. A person who earns little cannot think of these schools. The condition of health sector is worse than that. The government hospitals are less in number. They do not have proper facilities of the treatment. There is a severe shortage of beds and medicines for the patients. Two or three patients are adjusted on one bed.

Now, I would like to draw your attention to the problems of the fishermen of Gwadar. No doubt, CPEC is a game changer. It is a revolutionary project for the progress of the region. I want to ask if the rich will only be benefitted, not the poor? It is the need of the hour that hungry people should be provided with food firstly rather than those who are already filled up. Gwadar has been a natural hunting-ground for poor fishermen for several years. Fish is not only a source of food all over the world but it is also an important source of income for human beings. According to a report almost 12 million people are associated with the business of fishery partly or totally. This sector has played a great role in providing jobs for the local people. The shore of Pakistan is consisted of 1050km. The 750km is in Balochistan and 330km is in Sindh. Fishery has a significant role in our economy. It contributes to the income of our exports greatly. The export of fish and its allied products have risen up to 84,493 metric ton. Its cost is approximately 7.9 billion.

The products based on fish are exported to 35 European countries. While some countries import products from us that are prepared with the fish imported from Japan, America, China, Malaysia and Singapore. The poor fishermen are being deprived of their livelihood because of CPEC project. According to the facts and figures of the Government 395000 people are associated with the sector of fisheries. Such an important sector is being damaged because of the negligence of the government. Though, government has established the departments of fisheries at provincial and federal levels. But they have become a headache for fishermen and fisheries.

The fishermen are feeling themselves insecure because of the steps that have been taken by the department. I propose that the fishermen who have died in the open sea their children should be helped financially. The fishermen should be provided interest free loans, so that they can buy instruments for improving their source of income. Those fishermen who cross the borders of the other countries by mistake, their families should be looked after by the government. The government should also make arrangements for their release from captivity. A subsidy should be announced for the fishermen in the banned season (June, July). The fisheries welfare board should be established for the welfare of the fishermen. Those fishermen who cannot work because of illness or old age should be given a daily allowance.

The boat-making should be given the status of an industry. The boat makers should be given the proper facilities by the government. A quota of jobs should be fixed for the children of the fishermen. Special areas should be banned for fishing in the egg season. Government should establish separate fisheries banks for providing interest free loans to the fishermen.