The Supreme Court on Thursday sought reports from the federal and provincial governments over current status of registration of stone crushing units and steps taken for protection of labourers in the country. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, issued the directives while hearing a plea about silicosis, a form of occupational lung disease that has caused deaths to a number of labourers due to marble dust in different parts of the country.
In pursuance of the court's earlier directives, the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan submitted a report about Balochistan, saying there are 233 industrial units with a total of 5,548 workers in the province. The report disclosed that there are 821 workers in 111 marble factories in Balochistan, whereas a bill is still pending with the provincial assembly regarding protection of the labourers. The bench was informed that provincial environment agency has finalised a procedure for protection of labourers in Balochistan.
The applicant informed the court that more than 4,000 industrial units are operating without any registration. When Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar asked about the number of marble crushing unites operating in Punjab, Additional Advocate General Punjab, Asma Hamid, informed that there are 300 units operating in the province, whereas the government has closed 23 units which were operating without any licence.
Asma Hamid apprised the court that the Punjab government has made law for the protection of labourers, adding that the provincial police are taking action against those units which failed to protect labour rights. The law officer of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa informed the bench that a total of 58,163 labourers are working in 1,069 industrial units in the province. After examining the report the Chief Justice observed that court will ensure the protection of labourers, adding that nobody would be allowed to play with their lives.
The Chief Justice also observed that China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project has taken off but due to insecurity, the labourers of the country are in trouble. Seeking reports from the federation and provincial governments in the matter, the court adjourned the hearing of the case for two weeks.