Lahore, April 28: The National Coalition Against Bonded Labour (NCABL), an alliance of more then a score of organizations working for the end of bonded labour, at its general body meeting here today, called upon all political parties to make clear commitments for the eradication of all slavery-like practices in the country. The coalition general body said in its resolution on the subject:

This general body meeting of the National Coalition Against Bonded Labour expresses its shock and dismay at the poor attention the political parties seeking power through the forthcoming election are paying to the ordeal of the country’s labouring masses, especially of the bonded workers. It seems they have no time to take notice of Article 3 of the constitution that obliges the state to strive for an end to exploitation and the acceptance of the principle of taking from each according to one’s capacity and guaranteeing each according to one’s needs.

These political parties cannot be unaware of the exploitation of workers,   trapped in various forms of bondage, in agriculture, in the brick-kiln industry, in carpet weaving factories and in mines, nor can they deny the plight of factory workers, landless tenants and farm labour.

The NCABL calls upon all political parties to make clear and firm  pledge   that :

i.                 They will give priority to measures needed to eradicate bonded labour in whatever form and wherever it exists

ii.          They will carry out land reforms and provide land to bona fide tenants

iii.         They will ratify and implement ILO convention 141 on unionization of agricultural workers: and

iv.         They will fully implement all the ILO conventions that government of Pakistan has ratified, especially the conventions 87,98,100, 111, 29,105, 138 and 182.

The NCABL reiterates it view that any dispensation that  ignores   the rights and interests of the majority of the people will  be nothing more than organized exploitation of the poor and the weak.

I.A. Rehman

Chairperson, NCABL