ISLAMABAD - Labour leaders Thursday urged the government to restore Labour Inspection Machinery (LIM) to enforce the various provisions of labour laws in the four provinces. Addressing a joint press conference here at Capital Development Authority Headquarters, leaders of Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF) urged the federal government to restore LIM according to the convention 81 of International Labour Organisation, which had been ratified by Pakistan. They alleged that the Machinery had been illegally suspended by previous provincial governments. They also urged the government to incorporate labour rights like formation of unions, collective bargaining and freedom of labour courts in the proposed Industrial Relations Bill 2008. They also demanded restoration of trade unions' right to re-audit the company's accounts ensured under Industrial Relations Ordinance (IRO) 1969. General Secretary PWF Khurshid Ahmed termed suspension of LIM by provincial governments as anti-labourers and violation of fundamental human rights. He appealed to the President, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Labour and Manpower to play their role in restoration of the Machinery. He said that restoration of LIM was necessary for ensuring various provision of labour laws like protection of health and life of workers at workplace, enforcement of laws on minimum wages, observance of working hours, payment of overtime and provision of social security, etc. General Secretary CDA Mazdoor Union Chaudhry Yaseen, too, urged CDA administration to approve the charter of demand that had been submitted before CDA Board.

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