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GENEVA, Jun 05 (APP):Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain has said Pakistan stands ready to work with all partners to uphold the ILO’s core values, safeguard workers’ rights and build a future rooted in dignity fairness and shared prosperity.
Addressing the 113th session of International Labour Conference in Geneva, he reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to supporting the International Labour Organization (ILO) in advancing the global implementation of labour standards.
Reflecting on labour reform journey, he said we marked a historic milestone this year with the ratification of three significant ILO instruments which included the Maritime Labour Convention, Convention on Labour Statistics and 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention. He emphasized that these ratifications underscore our resolve to end forced labour, protect our seafarers and build a data driven labour governance system for a workforce of over seventy five million.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain said Pakistan is advancing towards ratifying further key conventions on Occupational Safety and Health and the Violence and Harassment Convention, C190. He highlighted that Supreme Court of Pakistan has explicity endorsed C190 as essential to safeguarding the rights of women and vulnerable workers.
The Minister for Overseas and Human Resource Development, said another landmark in our national efforts was the Tripartite Labour Conference, held in November last year after fifteen years where government employers and workers came together to recommit occupational safety, gender sensitive policies and stronger labour institutions.
Chaudhry Salik Hussain highlighted that social protection remains at the heart of our development strategy. Benazir Income Support Program and Ehsaas collectively serve over nine million families. Employees Old Age Benefits Institution with assets exceeding 21.30 million dollars approximately supports over four hundred thousand pensioners while the Workers Welfare Fund has granted over fifty thousand scholarships alongside housing and welfare support.
To protect migrant workers, he said Pakistan is embracing digital innovation. He said the upcoming Pak-Tok App will serve eight hundred thousand emigrants annually, connecting twelve million diaspora members to essential services. He said our emigration management framework will digitize overseas employement to ensure transparency and ethical recruitment.
The Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development said Pakistan is also investing in youth and skills. Under the Decent Work Country Programme, he said, NAVTTC and TEVTAs are aligning training with industry needs. We are piloting legal migration pathways with the EU and establishing training institutes focused on green jobs and digital skills.
He said Pakistan is also strengthening its cooperation with international social partners. Through collaboration with IndustriAll Global Union, we are strengthening workplace safety in energy and mining sectors.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Bilal Ahmad, Secretary Workers Welfare Fund Zulfiqar Ahmed, President of National Labour Federation Shamas ur Rehman Swati, President Pakistan United Workers Federation Zahoor Awan and Director General of Labour Welfare, Punjab, Syeda Kulsume Hai also attended the conference.