LAHORE: Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Dr Hassan Askari has said that labourers play a pivotal role in giving sound foundations to the national economy and added that trained human resource is the backbone of trade and industrial sectors. That is why, the target of durable socio-economic development cannot be achieved without giving due status to the working class. He stated this while talking to Provincial Minister for Labour, Human Resource & Transport Nauman Kabir at his office on Thursday. During the meeting, different issues pertaining to the performance of public sector departments and official matters came under discussion. Talking on the occasion, the caretaker chief minister Punjab said that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees protection of rights of labourers and added that the Punjab government is giving full attention to improve the lot of the working class. It is the responsibility of the government to give labourers and disfranchised segments their due status in the society. That is why, provision of quality educational and healthcare facilities to the labourers and industrial workers has remained part of governmental priorities. There is no doubt that exploiters of rights of laborers and industrial workers can never socially excel, he maintained. He said that trained human resource plays an important role in giving sound foundations to the economy. Keeping this thing in view, there is a need to give special attention to train and educate the human resource according to global market needs so that Pakistani workforce could be maximum accommodated in local and international markets. He said that continuous implementation of skills development program is imperative for providing qualitative trainings to the human resource. Similarly, protection of rights of laborers and industrial workers should be ensured and steps should also be taken to stop the exploitation of rights of the brick-kiln workers. Caretaker CM Punjab Dr Hassan Askari said that child labour is a cruel menace and the government has to eliminate it with solid steps. He said that the livestock sector had tremendous potential to benefit the country and its sustained development would tremendously benefit the economy. He said the livestock sector can be flourished to bring it at par with the developed countries by properly utilising the modern technology and expertise and added that steps are needed to be taken to increase the production of milk and meat. It is the need of the hour to take full benefit of the opportunities available in agriculture, livestock and other sectors and improving the standard of training is also imperative for increasing the production in these sectors, concluded the CM. Provincial Minister Nauman Kabir apprised the CM about the performance of labor and human resource, livestock and transport departments. Dr Hassan Askari said that credit of eliminating leprosy from the country goes to untiring efforts and passionate commitment of Dr Ruth Pfau. She was an example not just for Pakistanis but for the rest of the world as well. In his message on the first death anniversary of Dr Ruth Pfau, the CM paid rich tributes to her wonderful services for the elimination of leprosy and tuberculosis from Pakistan and said that she had given respect and honour to human beings by serving the ailing humanity without caring for differences of caste, colour or creed. “The Pakistani nation appreciates the commitment and selfless passion of Dr Pfau towards serving the patients,” he said, adding that the way she has served leprosy patients is unique and a golden chapter in the history of public service. There is no doubt that Late Dr Pfau was a ray of hope for leprosy patients and she has made the whole humanity proud by devotedly loving and caring for the ailing humanity. It is sanguine to note that she preferred to stay in Pakistan for serving the destitute patients and her unprecedented services and role for eradicating leprosy and TB will always be remembered with respect and reverence, concluded the CM. On the directions of Dr Askari, a four member committee has been constituted to probe the incident of death of three girls in Cholistan. Caretaker Law Minister Zia Haider Rizvi will head this committee while additional chief secretary (Home), RPO Multan and commissioner Bahawalpur division will be the members of the committee. The committee members will visit Bahawalnagar to probe the matter from all aspects. The committee will investigate the matter to dig out the real facts of the murder of the girls. This committee will submit its report to CM Punjab within seven days. Law Minister Zia Haider Rizvi and additional chief secretary (home) will soon visit the place of the incident and the committee will also provide its report to the senate committee after completion of its investigation. Published in Daily Times, August 10th 2018.