The Punjab government’s recent introduction of the Punjab Labour Code 2024 has sparked widespread outrage among labour organizations across the province – and rightly so. The government had promised amendments to labour laws that would safeguard workers’ rights, but the new regulations have instead opened the door to greater exploitation and insecurity for the working class. Far from protecting workers, the Punjab Labour Code 2024 has been condemned for undermining job security, legalizing the exploitative contract system, restricting trade unions, and potentially legitimizing child labour and bonded labour. These concerns, raised by labour organizations, reflect a profound betrayal of the promises made to the working people of Punjab. In her message on World Day for Safety and Health at Workplace, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had affirmed her government’s commitment to health, welfare and safety of every worker in Punjab. However, the introduction of this new labour code contradicts that commitment. What was intended to be a consolidation of labour laws from the past ten decades has instead become a tool for weakening the rights of workers. This pattern is not new; just two months ago, labour organizations in Sindh rejected the Sindh Labour Code for similar reasons, arguing that it provided legal cover to anti-labour contractual employment practices.
Pakistan’s labour landscape is already marred by numerous injustices. The minimum wage is routinely flouted in the private sector, workers face inhumane conditions, and cases of child labour and bonded labour are all too common. Workers are often fired for demanding their rights, forced to work in hazardous environments, and denied fair pay for overtime. Contractual employees live with the constant fear of job loss, while the informal sector exploits workers with impunity. Despite these existing challenges, the government has introduced regulations that further exacerbate the disparity and exploitation faced by the working class. This is not just unacceptable; it is unforgivable. Each year, on May 1, the nation celebrates Labour Day, and our leaders pay hollow tributes to the hardworking labourers who keep this country running. Yet, these same leaders fail to take meaningful action to improve the lives of these workers. The hypocrisy is glaring. The Punjab government must heed the concerns of labour organizations and reconsider the harmful provisions of the Punjab Labour Code 2024. Regulations that favour employers at the expense of workers are not just unjust; they are criminal.
The reality is that Pakistan’s poor and middle-class citizens are already struggling to survive. The additional burden of taxes on the salaried class, without corresponding protections for their rights and incomes, only highlights the government’s disregard for the very people it claims to represent. The ruling elite must understand that this country cannot be run by the elite, for the elite, and to the benefit of the elite alone. The workers of Pakistan cannot be left to the mercy of exploitative employers. It is the government’s fundamental responsibility to ensure their protection. There can be no compromise on this.
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