Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday directed withdrawal of anti-worker 'Removal from Services Ordinance 2000' and section 27-B from the Banking Companies Ordinance, saying the government wanted to weed out exploitation for ameliorating the lot of working class.
Addressing workers convention and the launching ceremony of the second phase of Benazir Stock Option Scheme here, the Prime Minister said his government was striving to remove exploitation from the society so that equal opportunities are available to everyone. He also distributed shares certificates among 16 workers.
He said the government is working with zeal to implement the philosophy of its late leaders Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto to empower the common man. The Prime Minister said his government is making all possible efforts for ensuring a system wherein equal opportunities are provided to everyone for his betterment.
He said PPP Quaid gave the slogan of 'Roti, Kapra and Makan' 40 years ago and now the PPP government is fulfilling this commitment as it has become more important today. The Prime Minister said the government wanted a system based on equality where every citizen gets equal opportunities for his betterment. Gilani recounted the steps his government has taken during a short span of over one and half years, saying Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and 'Waseela-e-Haq' were designed to provide financial support to the low-income and poor families to lead a respectable life.
He said the farmers are being extended billions of rupees loans under Benazir tractors and green card schemes. The government increased wages of employees, reinstated sacked employees, launched residential schemes for workers, and a plan is under way to establish Benazir colonies in Sindh.
He said textile and education policies have been announced; steps are being taken to overcome power crisis, the people of Gilgit/Baltistan have been granted self-autonomy and reforms are in the pipeline for health sector. Gilani said that credit rating of Pakistan has improved, encouraging signs are there in stock exchanges, law and order situation is improving and Pakistan is not facing the threat of being declared a failed or terrorist state.
He said that Benazir Employees Stock Option Scheme (Besos) was one of the historic steps of the government which would benefit over 500,000 workers in over 80 public sector organisations who would be given free of cost 12 percent share of Rs 100 billion. The scheme, he said, would help the government eliminate economic disparity, enhance growth and ensure protection and security of the assets because workers would have a sense of ownership and direct stakes in the entities.
The Prime Minister said the government has adopted the way of national reconciliation to promote and strengthen democracy. He said Benazir Bhutto had made a commitment to the people to wipe out terrorists and following her vision the government has been successful as the terrorists are now on the run.
He announced various development schemes for the welfare of workers including construction of 37 new schools, upgradation of 36 schools, setting up of 23 new hospitals for them including trauma center. Federal Ministers Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Syed Khurshid Shah, Syed Naveed Qamar and Qamar Zaman Kaira also spoke on the occasion. Kaira said the stock scheme has fulfilled the long dream of the worker while Labour Minister Syed Khurshid Shah said that now workers would have sense of ownership that would result in higher productivity.