Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani urged workers and employers of the country to come forward and play their role in making Pakistan a truly progressive, moderate and an enlightened country in step with the modern world. In a message on the occasion of May Day, the Prime Minister said.
"We are celebrating May Day in a new economically challenging global environment this year with the ambition to reaffirm our commitment to uphold and enhance the dignity of labour." "Celebration of this day is a tribute to the working class all over the world that reminds us of the historic struggle of the Chicago workers who laid their lives for achieving a just working environment and for securing their rights," he added.
Gilani said the role of labour in the economic development of the country cannot be but over emphasised. "It has always been the labour community which contributed significantly towards maximising production and productivity. We cannot compete in the international market without provision of a respectable status and dignity to our labour as per ILO standards," he added.
The Prime Minister said, "We are taking various steps to review the existing labour laws in order to bring them in conformity with the international standards to keep pace with the global trends and ensure dignity of labour. The government is taking all possible measures to protect the welfare and rights of workers. The government has repealed the Industrial Relations Order (IR)-2002) and revived banned trade unions, he added.
The Prime Minister said formulation of a labour policy in the light of the former Prime Ministers, late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed's vision is also under consideration and will soon be announced. "Workers and employers are partners in the production process and their co-ordination and co-operation is paramount for industrial peace and harmony to ensure maximum utilisation of their inputs for the socio-economic development of our country. May Allah Almighty be with us in our endeavours. Ameen."