Workers engaged in CPEC projects: Babar voices concern over imposing Chinese labour laws

General Secretary Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Farhatullah Babar has expressed serious concern over imposing Chinese labour laws on the workers, who are involved in development projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
While talking to this correspondent on Tuesday, Babar said that labour unions and other organizations of human rights of the country have shown their serious concern and resentment over imposition of Chinese labour laws in Pakistan.
He said that he read on social media that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government is preparing a draft on legislation for giving rights to foreigners for purchasing land in Pakistan. He said that the PML-N is going to do this legislation especially for the Chinese to purchase land in Gwadar.
He said labour bodies have been demanding that the rights of the local labourers in CPEC projects should not be compromised but there has been no assurance from the government in this regard. The freedom and fundamental rights of labour force should not be sacrificed for the jobs doled out to them, he said.
He said that there is a need for transparency in the all infrastructure projects under the CPEC and the public should know what the government is signing up on behalf of the work force of the country.
Earlier, while speaking during a discussion on 'Business and Human Rights' at the Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services (PIPS) Babar also proposed a catalogue of workers in the informal sector like domestic workers and child labour to address issues of minimum wage and poor working conditions.
He said that business houses should be required to publish mechanism for reporting human rights violations and on how these will be addressed. He said that presently permission to undertake large projects is linked to its impact on the environment. He said that the same principle needs to be extended to the impact of a project on the human rights on workers before permission is accorded.
He said that Pakistan had signed and ratified Convention Against Torture (CAT) in 2010 and it is now obligatory to adopt domestic legislation to criminalize torture. He said that the Senate has already unanimously passed legislation criminalizing torture which has been sent to the joint session to get it passed by the National Assembly within stipulated period. He called for early convening of joint session to pass the anti-torture legislation.