Tag: Pakistan

Workplace Information for Female Employee’s of Pakistan

Pakistan has a robust legal framework to ensure fair treatment and protect the well-being of female employees. Here’s a breakdown of some key benefits and the corresponding laws that guarantee them:

1. Job Security During Leave (Maternity and Paternity Leave Act, 2023; The West Pakistan Maternity Benefit Ordinance, 1958):

This act, enacted in 2023, offers significant support to working parents. Maternity leave is granted on full pay outside the leave account to a female employee on her option to the extent of 180 days on the first birth, 120 days on the second birth, and 90 days on the third birth from the date of commencement thereof. Such maternity leave may not be granted for more than three times in the entire service of the female employee, except when such leave is granted within her leave account due and admissible to her or as an extraordinary leave without pay

This law applies to all public and private establishments under the administrative control of the federal government. In case of a violation of the law, employers can be subjected to imprisonment for up to 6 months and a fine of up to Rs100,000 ($348), or both.

The West Pakistan Maternity Benefit Ordinance, 1958, was promulgated by repealing existing laws on the subject. Under this ordinance, women with at least four months’ employment in an establishment immediately preceding the day of delivery are eligible to get 12 weeks of maternity leave with full payment of salary, six weeks before and six weeks after childbirth. The employer is prohibited from dismissing the services of a woman in this situation.

Punjab and KP follow the leave stipulations of the 1958 ordinance, but Sindh has a total of 16 and Balochistan has 14 weeks of maternity leave with different conditions for eligibility. As requirements are not different anywhere, it is more realistic to have similar conditions and a similar amount of leave in the entire country.

2. Protection from Harassment (The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010):

This act safeguards women from harassment in the workplace. The Act requires organizations with more than 50 employees to establish an inquiry committee specifically for addressing harassment complaints. This ensures there’s a dedicated system in place to investigate and resolve such issues. The Act mandates that these inquiry committees include female members. This is crucial because it allows for complaints from female employees to be investigated with sensitivity and respect for their experiences.

It’s important to note that the 2014 amendment to the Act broadened the definition of harassment to encompass all forms, not just those of a sexual nature. This means the Act now protects employees from any kind of unwelcome conduct that creates a hostile work environment.

The Act places the responsibility for implementing its provisions on the employer. This means employers must:

  • Develop and implement a code of conduct outlining acceptable workplace behavior and procedures for reporting harassment.
  • Train employees on the Act and their rights and responsibilities.
  • Provide a safe and supportive environment for reporting harassment complaints.

3. Dedicated Facilities (The Factories Act, 1934, as amended):

The legislation, along with its subsequent amendments, focuses on promoting the well-being of female employees. Specifically, it mandates that factories employing more than 50 female workers must establish daycare facilities for their children, as outlined in article 33-Q (2)(a).

Furthermore, the act emphasizes the importance of gender equality by requiring separate and sufficient lavatory facilities for both male and female workers, as specified in article 21 (1)(b). These provisions aim to create a supportive and equitable work environment for women in the industrial sector.

4. Regulated Working Hours (The West Pakistan Shops and Establishments Ordinance, 1965):

This ordinance establishes standard working hours for women in commercial and industrial settings. It emphasizes daytime work for women, with some flexibility allowed for situations where door-to-door transportation is provided by the employer. Night duty is strictly prohibited.

Article 7 (4) states that no woman or young person shall be employed in any establishment otherwise than between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. except with the permission of the government.

5. Privacy During Inspections:

While not explicitly mentioned in a single law, regulations established under various acts, including the Factories Act, 1934, generally prohibit the humiliation of employees during inspections or security checks. This translates to separate rooms and female security personnel for conducting searches on female employees.

6. Support for Nursing Mothers (The West Pakistan Maternity Benefit Ordinance, 1965):

This ordinance acknowledges the needs of new mothers by guaranteeing them breaks for breastfeeding within the workplace. The specific number of breaks offered (often four) might be further defined by company policy or collective bargaining agreements.

7. Time for Prayer (Provincial Regulations/Company Policies):

There’s no national law mandating separate prayer rooms for female employees. However, some provincial regulations or company policies, recognizing the religious needs of their workforce, might make provisions for such facilities.

8. Rest and Relaxation (Company Policies/Anti-Discrimination Principles):

Similar to prayer rooms, separate canteens or designated seating arrangements for female employees aren’t mandated by national law. However, some companies, based on their policies or interpretations of anti-discrimination principles, might implement such arrangements to promote a more comfortable work environment.

Understanding these rights empowers women in the Pakistani workforce. By being aware of the legal framework that protects them, women can confidently navigate their professional journey and contribute their talents to the country’s development.

Sources:

Toll on the State Exchequer!

Highlighting the issue faced at toll plazas and motorway service stations in Pakistan

Being a frequent traveler, recently, I had to travel from M-2 Bhera interchange to Nurpur Thal, and if I remember correctly, there were two toll-collection plazas before the one on the river Jhelum near Sahiwal area. Most of the road is well maintained and easy on the vehicles, with a little rough patch near Shahpur. The patch is in itself very dangerous for travelers, as it could easily damage a vehicle in the night and cause accidents.

The most disappointing observation during the trip was the non-issuance of receipts to vehicles crossing the first two toll stations. The toll was only 30 rupees for a car; however, when the ticket issuer did not hand over the receipt, the toll felt like it had vanished into the air. At both the toll stations/plaza, the collector did not bother to give any evidence of payment, even though we waited and demanded a receipt, and were promptly ignored or delayed. It obviously implied that those would not be submitted for the whole amount. Even if the reason for the non-availability of ticket copies is to believed, it is a matter of grave concern.

The same is true of the retailers at the motorway service stations. The products cost exuberantly more than in normal areas, and the sellers simply do not bother to give receipts for shopped materials. The most common excuse is a dysfunctional machine or computer, and the customer is made to stand and wait in case he demands the payment receipt.

Although the National Highway Authority (NHA) and Frontier Works Organization (FWO) are the managing departments of these toll plazas and service stations, which are popular as highly professional departments, these undue abuses continue to occur on a regular basis. All these seemingly negligible derelictions are ultimately causing a heavy toll on the national exchequer. The people of this country, be they public or private, simply don’t like to follow rules & regulations, and they also vehemently follow rules when outside of this country.

“All these seemingly negligible derelictions are ultimately causing a heavy toll on the national exchequer.”

There must be systems of checks and balances in place. The foremost way to control this is to increase the salaries of workers at toll stations and ensure contractors are not forced to pay extra amounts, pushing them to fulfill the costs from the people’s purses. This will discourage corruption in the wake of skyrocketing inflation. Digitizing the payment methods can also help a lot, For example, the same e-tag system that has been implemented on the motorways can be expanded to other national highways for tracking toll payments. It will facilitate and regularize transport tax payments.

And finally, the need is to reform and revitalize the tax collection system. Currently, for the purpose of repayment of debts, increased taxes are being charged indiscriminately through utility bills to cover such other losses in tax collection as mentioned above. If the government focuses on brand improvement in tax collection and implements the taxes paid in all fields of life, common businesses will be encouraged to pay taxes other than the already tax-paying salaried class of the country.

Rehan Rana,

Lahore.

Fireworks and Aerial firing on New Year ( A letter sent to Dawn on 01/01/2019 – not published )

It seems that we will never make an effort to step into the civilized nations list by our own. Every violent act is adorned by our youth but only in the confines of security and when their is no peril to their own selves. We have a developed a culture of aerial firing and fireworks ingrained since a very long time at the cost of precious lives being lost.

It does not mean that anyone may resort to barbarian celebrations in residential areas. It is extremely disappointing to see the news of Indian shelling in Athmuqam area of Kashmir where people were hurt and properties were destroyed, yet our youth in major cities like Lahore and Karachi were busy firing in the air and exploding fireworks all night long in a culturally borrowed event. Its a pity that this is done only when they know there is no apparent repercussion of their act, while real soldiers and policemen lay their lives everyday in the field. Old people, scared kids, and sick patients all suffered from the unwanted noise which started on new years night at 12: 00 AM and continued till dawn.

To all the gun totting youth on roofs of their homes; we get it, you have arms, and you are happy that you have survived a year with those dim wits, but please do respect the privacy and comfort of your hard working neighbors. And to their parents: You should be in jail for not controlling your children in such events.

A humble request to the ambitious current government, please take some solid action against such useless celebrations and confine such acts in specified publicly monitored areas.

M. Rehan.
Lahore.

Scrutinizing Propaganda

“Abu A’la Muadudi was against Pakistan and called Quaid e Azam as Kafir e Azam”

 

It is safe to say Mawdudi/Maududi was never against a the formation of Pakistan, but only pointed out the weakness in the core of slogan of “A separate Muslim”. The ones struggling for a separate state; The Muslim League consisted of all sects of Muslims,  practicing or not, who were against British and Hindu rule. There were Ahmadis, Agha khanis, Feudals and Capitalists, Socialists and Communists at powerful positions in the league. He foresaw the future of Pakistan in the Hands of a ruling elite who had nothing to do with Islam. As you can see the Islamic system has yet to be implemented in the country.

Quaid e Azam Was called Kafir e Azam by Azhar Ali Mazhar of Majlis e Ehrar in his couplet “ Ik Kafira kay peechay Islam ko chora, Yeh Quaid-e-Azam hai kay Kafir-e-Azam”.  There is no proof of Maududi labeling Quaid as kafir.

References:

سیّد مودودیؒ ۔ تصریحات ۔ اسلامی جمعیت طالبات کے وفد سے ملاقات ۔ 23 نومبر

1974

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013/12/21/comment/mr-jinnahs-muslim-opponents/

Unemployment is the Scourge!

Usually, celebrations in this part of the world include a large number of traditional sweets (Mithai). There is bound to be large quantities of Mithai brought in by relatives and friends and from the best and famous makers on the special day. By the end of the function, there is a cache of overflowing Mithai, and it is a painstaking task to eat it or distribute it.  What happens when you find a week old Mithai in your fridge? Chances are you are not going to eat it, you are either going to give it away or if totally inedible, throw it away.

The government is doing the same thing with the labor force of this country. The labor Force is the Mithai of this country. Too many Colleges and private Universities are churning out a large number of graduates skilled in disciplines that are scarce in demand. They try to find Jobs as fresh graduates and find very few openings and are offered very low wages. Once they get a year or two old, the dilemma deepens and they are rejected by the Employers for lack of experience.  Just like the old mithai, they wait to be thrown out, or throw themselves away in a last ditch effort by illegally entering developed countries and working for pennies. Some even commit suicide as the numerous news reports have shown. A World Bank’s report said Pakistan has one of the fastest growing labor forces in the world with 1.2 million people being added every year. The report further said that over two million workers would be entering the labor force every year during the next 20 years.

The rural areas paint a bleaker picture, there is not much education and most of the youth are skilled in agricultural industry. As the population menace outruns and outsmarts our Government planners, the inherited cultivated land has decreased in size drastically. Efforts to increase irrigation and consequently cultivatable lands are zero. During the last 25 years, cultivable land on Pakistan has increased by 27 percent as compared to 98 percent increase in the population of Pakistan, which results the declining trend in the individual land holdings in Pakistan. Hence, the land is decreasing and population is increasing in exponential form in the rural areas. The land is trying to breast feed too many puppies with little food to eat herself. Overall, in the three decades between 1970-71 to 2002, the number of employed persons increased by only two times from 18.5 million to 38.3 million, whereas the number of unemployed increased by eight times from 0.4 million in 1970-71 to 3.3 million in 2002. These statistics are 13 years old but help us guess the present scenario, which is possibly that the bulk of able bodied youth in out country are doing nothing productive.

One might argue that the increase in fertilizer has increased the production of the land manifolds, or the advent of technological industry like the software industry has provided much more highly paid jobs in Urban areas. But proportionately, so has the demands of life. Every person now has a bike/car, fridge, motor for water, mobiles, air conditioning  and hence the cost of living has expanded enormously. Everyone wants a quality life or gets depressed if s/he is unable to get it. A huge waste of energy and purpose has infected our youth who are brimming with potential. They are in a loop without any hope of being debugged soon. The current unemployment rate in Pakistan stands at 6 % but it is provided by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, a dormant government organization which doesn’t even have a report on cost of living in Pakistan. The realistic unemployment rate would be much higher; at least three times that of the data given.

This is quiet an alarming state of affairs and there is an extraordinary and immediate need to take action. A few suggestion are mentioned below:

1) Overhaul the Pakistan unemployment eradication strategy. Glamorize and attract students towards technical education. It will serve two purposes, decrease unemployment and increase the quality of our technical services. The wages of technical services like machine operators, electronic appliances fixers and other type of technical labor used in telecommunication companies should be increased. The companies can and should pay them a handsome salary.

2) Special focus should be placed on the issue of making students aware of the scope of education they acquire prior to the stage where they make themselves fully engaged towards their desired field of study. Moreover an attempt should be made to uplift all the sectors simultaneously. An increment in GDP be made in line with those standards which directly results in increasing the investment prospects and productivity. This aspect is particularly important because some factors sometimes over express GDP (such as excessive foreign remittances); such type of increase in GDP is not necessarily accompanied by productivity and employment opportunities.

2) Send the extra labor force to countries who are underdeveloped and have a low labor force , like some countries in Africa, where Chinese investors are present but skilled labor is missing. As it is obvious that large proportion of labors holding skills are more likely to get job, training facilities should be made accessible within the reach of a common man also by making the establishment of training institutes a necessary part of development programs.

3) Overseas Employment Corporation OEC was established in 1976 by Govt. of Pakistan and is only employment promotion agency operating in public sector. Make an institute that helps the unemployed youth like the Unemployment Help Center in Canada or Federal Unemployment Agency of Germany or empower OEC to carryout these activities.

4) It appears that the most popular method to reduce unemployment in Europe nowadays is to reduce unemployment benefits, increase in work benefits, abolish the minimum wage and insist that those unemployed take a job, any job, at any price. After all, that’s what Germany has done in the Hartz Reforms and the German unemployment rate fell dramatically as a result of doing just that. We should follow the examples of other successful reforms and implement those policies after adjusting to our own economical needs.

Platforms should be promoted by conscious social workers of the society, where the unemployed labor gather and focus on putting their message across forums that serve as a bridge between the Government and the Public. I am sure there are numerous capable government servants, consultants, ministers who are paid highly and have the proper solution to these problems. The only missing ingredient is willpower and resolve. They need to be shook up and reminded of their responsibilities, either via public pressure or by continued communication from the unemployed youth. The demise of this nation is only on the rulers hands, ascending in amount from bottom to top, and none others. Don’t let the mithai go to waste, let its worth be tasted by all who appreciate talent.

Raihaan.