PWF backs Centre-controlled EOBI

LAHORE: Pakistan Workers’ Federation (PWF) Central President Chaudhry Naseem Iqbal has expressed concern over the Sindh Labour Minister Saeed Ghani’s statement on the Employees Old-age Benefits Institution (EOBI), a statement said on Tuesday.

The minister has objected to the federal government’s intention to keep control of the Employees Old-age Benefits Institutions (EOBI) and the decision given by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) in its support, it added.

His point was that labour is a provincial matter under the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan and as EOBI catered to the needs of workers, it should remain under provincial control.

Iqbal appreciated the Sindh government for enacting more than a dozen labour laws after the 18th Amendment, but said its stance on EOBI should be revised for genuine reasons.

Explaining his point, he said, there are many workers who work in different provinces during their career. Therefore, their contributions deposited by employers with different provinces cannot be consolidated if EOBI becomes a provincial subject and it will become difficult to pay their pensions.

For example, a worker who spent decades in Punjab will not be able to get pension easily if he ends up working in a province like Balochistan with limited resources.

However, he said, if EOBI remained a federal subject the benefits will reach the workers regardless of the province or provinces where they have worked.