{"id":785,"date":"2026-05-01T14:19:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T14:19:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/?p=785"},"modified":"2026-05-01T14:19:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T14:19:12","slug":"workers-hailed-as-backbone-of-society-on-international-labour-day-president-pm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/2026\/05\/01\/workers-hailed-as-backbone-of-society-on-international-labour-day-president-pm\/","title":{"rendered":"Workers hailed as backbone of society on International Labour Day: President, PM"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ISLAMABAD<\/strong>: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the labour force of Pakistan the \u201cbackbone\u201d of society and a \u201cpillar of national strength\u201d in statements commemorating International Labour Day on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the world commemorated the international holiday observed annually on May 1, the president and the premier issued separate messages to mark the occasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PM Shehbaz paid tribute to Pakistan\u2019s labour force as well as its overseas workers, appreciating their \u201cdedicated service\u201d and terming them a national pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOn this occasion, I pay tribute to workers across the world, and especially to the hardworking labour force of Pakistan, for their selfless contributions and dedicated service,\u201d he said in a statement on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He termed labourers, farmers, artisans, factory workers, and professionals across all sectors the \u201cbackbone of our society\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir sacrifices, hard work and perseverance keep the wheels of life moving, from fields to factories, construction sites to workshops, at local level and right to the global stage,\u201d he said, calling these workers a source of national pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The premier also appreciated the remittances of millions of Pakistani workers overseas, saying, \u201cOur labour force, both at home and abroad, reflects our national capability, industriousness, and professional excellence \u2026 Their contributions towards the country\u2019s future remain deeply valued and etched in our collective consciousness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the prime minister, the federal government has undertaken targeted initiatives to enhance the skills and professional capacity of Pakistanis seeking employment abroad. These include the National Skills Development Policy, under which \u201ca comprehensive strategy has been developed to align our workforce with the evolving needs of industry, trade, and modern global standards\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added, \u201cSpecial emphasis is being placed on internationally recognised training, language proficiency, and certification to ensure that our workforce secures dignified opportunities worldwide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, he noted that national institutions such as the Employees\u2019 Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and the Workers Welfare Fund (WWF) continued to strive for the welfare of workers and their families by providing pensions, housing, education, and other essential services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He expressed resolve to \u201crenew our collective commitment at government: both federal and provincial levels\u201d and on an individual level to safeguard the rights of workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The premier called upon all stakeholders, including the business community and industrialists, to uphold the \u201cdignity and protection\u201d of the country\u2019s labour force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe pray that the hardworking people of Pakistan continue to illuminate the nation\u2019s name through their dedication, skill, and integrity, and remain a proud symbol of resilience, determination, and national honour,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Asif Ali Zardari also issued a statement on the occasion, posted to his official social media account on X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI join the nation in recognising the historic struggle of workers whose sacrifices for fair wages, reasonable working hours and dignified conditions laid the foundation of modern labour rights,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the very beginning of our constitution, article 3 has been titled as \u2018Elimination of exploitation\u2019 and it says: \u2018The State shall ensure the elimination of all forms of exploitation and the gradual fulfilment of fundamental principles, from each according to his ability to each according to his work,\u2019\u201d the president noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He extended his deep appreciation to Pakistani labourers, saying, \u201cTheir work \u2026 is the force that drives national development. The true strength of Pakistan lies in the hands of its labourers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The president added that Pakistan remained committed to upholding international labour standards and promoting fundamental rights at work, \u201cincluding fair wages, social protection, the elimination of forced and child labour and non-discrimination\u201d. He reaffirmed the government\u2019s dedication to the International Labour Organisation\u2019s conventions and achieving Sustainable Development Goals related to work and social protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He joined the premier in appreciating the overseas Pakistani workforce, calling them a \u201cpillar of national strength\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnsuring safe working conditions, fair wages and equal opportunities is both a national priority and a moral responsibility,\u201d President Zardari said, adding that \u201cinvesting in human capital is the most productive investment a nation can make\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI salute the workers of Pakistan,\u201d he concluded. \u201cYou are not the margin of our economy; you are its foundation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the International Labourers Organisation (ILO), Pakistan has yet to ratify 55 conventions and protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Labour laws exist but enforcement is weak, and despite government promises to create millions of jobs, issues like low pay, lack of social protection, and poor representation remain unresolved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed the labour force of Pakistan the \u201cbackbone\u201d of society and a \u201cpillar of national strength\u201d in statements commemorating International Labour Day on Friday. As the world commemorated the international holiday observed annually on May 1, the president and the premier issued separate messages to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":712,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,16,2],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[27],"class_list":{"0":"post-785","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-latest","8":"category-national","9":"category-pakisstan"},"authors":[{"term_id":27,"user_id":3,"is_guest":0,"slug":"afnanwasif","display_name":"Web Desk","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cbec8328241e98fefcd32e00f20f7a6b502086a0b95d395db4b1565c51681914?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/785","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=785"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":786,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/785\/revisions\/786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=785"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diplomag.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}