Miseries of labourers remain unaddressed in Naya Pakistan

LAHORE: Labourers working in wheat procurement centres across the Punjab continue to face sheer exploitation in the hands of staffs as they are paid much less money out of funds allocated by the provincial food department.

The lives of Imran Bhatti, residing in Maachiwal, and Ghulam Mustafa, an inhabitant of Chak-3 of Vehari district are pitiable examples of how they are undergoing very difficult working conditions. Labourers by profession, they are paid much less than what they are supposed to get as remuneration. They are made to live hell of a life as they are not witnessing any difference from previous years.

It is a tiresome job of loading 100 kilograms wheat bag in sweltering summer, requiring a lot of physical strength. The pathetic part has been what they earn in return of such a tough job. It is not even peanuts. Against Rs9 per bag labour charges, which are also on much lower side given the energy required for doing such a laborious work, only half or so amount is actually paid to them. Where does the other amount go? It is cruelly usurped by local representatives with the connivance of staff concerned.

“We are poor labourers. Why these financially strong people sought there share out of our hard-earned money,” said Aslam Shad, president of a labour association in Vehari. “The workers must be given their due return on all cost.”

Like Muhammad Amanat of Bahawalpur and Muhammad Ashraf of Dunyapur of district Lodhran, many labour contractors have been forced to quit the profession as only blue-eyed contractors are hired with the mutual consent of food officials and assembly representatives.

A senior official of the food department admitted the issue of low payments to workers. “We can’t change the system right now in the middle of procurement campaign,” the official said on condition of anonymity. “However efforts would be made to correct the situation.”

Several years back, much better wage system was in place and labour contractors were hired after bidding process. This open competition-based system ensured proper payments to poor labourers involved in unloading of as heavy as 100kg of sacks at government procurement centres. These contractors were paid money directly by the food department for small subsistence.

However, for reasons better known to high-ups this largely fair system was abandoned and instead a committee of local assembly representatives were involved for making payment to labourers. Now labour charges are first paid to farmers with labor wage deducted from wheat procurement price. This money goes into the pockets of influential local representatives and respective centre staff of the food department who hardly transfer wages to its actual recipients – labourers.

Centre in-charge during wheat procurement drive mints about Rs2 per bag on the pretext of procurement expenditures without mentioning it in the official record.

Rao Afsar Ali, a local farmer representative and activist also echoed similar concerns about bad practices prevalent in the food department. Ali termed such working conditions as pathetic, saying the provincial government should take measures for bringing some relief in the lives of poor labourers.

“Food Minister Punjab Aleem Khan should give attention to these issues,” he said. “Unfortunately, provincial food department is only focusing on achieving procurement target this year and many other ills like plight of labourers are being overlooked.”