ILO requested to convene virtual session for resolving labourers’ issues

Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday urged the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to convene a virtual session of its member states to evolve a comprehensive strategy for betterment of the labourer community in the post-coroanvirus world.

On behalf of the government of Pakistan, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari forwarded the request to ILO Director General Guy Ryder in writing, on the occasion of World Labour Day.

In a letter, a copy of which is available with APP, the SAPM highlighted the issues faced by the workers in Pakistan and across the globe due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He underlined the need for initiating a global dialogue to develop a way forward which could help minimize impact of the global pandemic on the working class.

Highlighting the issues of Pakistan in the midst of coronavirus, he said it was not his country alone where the coronavirus posed a great challenge to the labourers.

All the developing economies in the region and world faced the similar challenges, he added.

Zulfikar Bukhari passionately called for collective efforts to resolve the issue of labourers, who had been bearing the brunt of global pandemic worldwide.

He said: “This is an emergency situation for governments around the world, and on the occasion of Labour Day 2020, it is most important that there is start of a global dialogue leading to a global recovery.

To enable a strategic dialogue to discuss ‘The Future of Work in a Post-Covid World’ for all workers especially those in the developing world, I urge you to call a special virtual session with representation from all ILO member countries, agencies, enterprises, organisations, groups/individuals to establish a way forward in a world emerging from a global crisis,” he maintained.