By Eman Alam
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari has stressed upon the need to equip the workers and youth with modern skills to meet the challenges of an ever-changing job market.
In a message on the occasion of International Labour Day being observed today (Thursday), the president said “In today’s rapidly changing world, the key to securing a brighter future for our youth and workers lies in their skill development.”
The president called upon the governments, private enterprises, educational institutions, and civil society to collaborate in creating a comprehensive ecosystem for the skill development of labour. He said on International Labour Day, they paid tribute to the contributions, struggles, and sacrifices of their working men and women who had played an important role in the development of our country. “This day reminds us of the historic struggle waged by workers around the world for their rights and dignity.
Today, we reaffirm our commitment to their empowerment, fair wages, safe working conditions, and social protection,” President Secretariat Press Wing, in a press release, quoted the president as saying.
President Zardari said the labourers and working classes were the driving force of their economy and national development. They build infrastructure, run industries, cultivate lands, and move economy forward, he said adding “It is our workers who sustain our manufacturing industries, agriculture, small and medium enterprises, government and other public sectors. Our workers are our pride, and we owe our national development to their hard work and contributions.”
The president also urged employers, trade unions, civil society, and the public sector to join hands in creating a just labour ecosystem and work for the welfare and uplift of workers. “Let us honour our workers through meaningful policies, inclusive development, and a culture that respects labour in all its forms,” he emphasised.
Earlier, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to promoting safe, healthy, and dignified conditions for its workers — the real driving force behind our nation’s growth and resilience.
The protection of fundamental labour rights is enshrined in our Constitution and fully aligns with the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) core conventions, to which Pakistan is a responsible signatory, the prime minister said in his message on the occasion of Labour Day.
In pursuit of these ideals, he said Pakistan had taken significant legislative and administrative reforms to further strengthen workers’ protections. “We have ratified key international labour conventions, including the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention and the Maritime Labour Convention, while advancing new commitments on occupational safety and health.” He highlighted that for the first time, every worker in Pakistan benefits from a National Occupational Safety and Health Profile, ensuring safer, healthier workplaces across the country.
“Our government has taken important steps to broaden the coverage and impact of institutions such as the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF), ensuring that the fruits of our labor protections are shared more equitably across all segments of the workforce,” the prime minister added.
Through digitization and labour law reforms, he said the government was building a future where every worker had access to dignity, safety, and opportunity. He said at the same time, skill development initiatives, particularly through the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC) and the Technical Education and Vocational Training Authorities (TEVTAs), are being expanded, with a special focus on empowering youth and women with demand-driven vocational training.
“On this important day, I urge all stakeholders, including employers, workers, civil society, and government to join hands in building a culture that respects labour, upholds their rights, and creates opportunities of decent work for all,” he added.
