The Balochistan Labor Federation and the All Pakistan Labor federation have demanded amendments in Balochistan’s “anti-laborer” laws, saying that they have become controversial before their implementation. The labor unions said that the laborers in Balochistan have been deprived of their due rights, and the new-fangled labor laws will only worsen their situation.
Labour union leaders Khan Zaman Khan, Mir Zaib Shahwani, Saifullah Tarin, Habib Ullah Langove, Haji Ghulam Dastagir, and others issued a media statement bashing the labor laws passed by the Balochistan Assembly.
They said that the Labour Department Balochistan, International Labour Organization, and ILO officials passed the Balochistan Industrial Relations Act (BIRA) 2022 without taking into consideration the demands of the labor unions of Balochistan.
They said the authorities also did not debate the controversial points in the social security laws of Balochistan that the labor unions have unanimously rejected.
The labor union leaders of the government had deliberately kept the new-fangled labor laws a secret to avoid striking the ire of the laborers. “… [but] for how long can they deprive us of the rights that the laborers in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa enjoy?” they asked.
They claimed that certain powerful elements are trying to suppress the laborers of Balochistan. They said that trade unions are banned in Balochistan; laborers have knocked on every door in search of justice but to no avail. The government and the ILO don’t want the laborers of Balochistan to get access to the perks of a simple, settled life, they claimed.
The labor unions said the biggest hurdle in securing the rights of the laborers is the Labour Department of Balochistan, which passed the new-fangled law containing controversial and unaccepted points. Furthermore, they deliberately avoided discussing the controversial points in the social security laws of Balochistan.
The labor unions said that the Balochistan Industrial Relations Act (BIRA) 2022 is an anti-laborer law that will curtail the rights of laborers. They appealed to the Chief Minister of Balochistan, the Chief Secretary, the Secretary of Labour, and other authorities to repeal BIRA 2022 and warned that if their demand is not met, they will come out on the streets.