Daily Times

LAHORE: The World Labour Day will be observed today (Tuesday) in commemoration of the services of workers who faced problems for their rights in Chicago in the late 19th century and their achievements.

In this connection, a number of rallies and awareness walks will be carried out across the city from different labour unions and rights activists.

All public and private educational institutions, markets and other organisations would remain closed on May Day, which is declared as public holiday. The Punjab Home Department also directed the concerned departments to provide foolproof security to participants of rallies and walks on the eve of May Day by ensuring all possible arrangements to avoid any untoward incident.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif in his message on the eve of World Labour Day said that workers had rendered invaluable sacrifices for their rights in Chicago in May 1886 and added that this day reminds “us about the martyrs of Chicago and their struggle against oppression and tyranny”.

He said that the purpose of celebrating this day was to initiate steps for providing protection to labourers and industrial workers against any exploitation. It is also aimed at speeding up the efforts to ensure the dignity and provision of suitable wages to the working class, he added. He said that Islam has highlighted the dignity of the workers by terming them as friends of Allah Almighty. It also gives the lesson of welfare and dignity of the labourers and says that payments of labourers should be paid without any delay. It is sanguine that the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan also provides necessary protection to the rights of the labourers.

The chief minister further said that the goal of durable socio-economic development cannot be achieved without giving due status to the working class as their role is pivotal in giving sound foundations to the national economy. The human resource is the backbone of trade and industry. It is the reason that the government is giving full attention to improve the lot of working class and solid steps have been taken for welfare of the workers. Under the Skills Development Programme of the Punjab government, thousands of youth have been trained. Along with it, thousands of children of brick-kiln workers have been brought to schools for their education. The workers are fully benefiting from the labour-friendly policies of the Punjab government and a number of programmes are underway to provide treatment and quality educational facilities to the workers. The establishment of quality educational institutions, network of social security hospitals as well as labour colonies is the clear proof of labour-friendly policies of the provincial government, he added.

May 1 gives an opportunity to reiterate “our commitments for protecting workers’ rights. We have to reaffirm our commitment towards workers’ welfare and help them in struggling for their legitimate rights”, concluded the Chief Minister.

Published in Daily Times, May 1^st 2018.