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Govt urged to form safety body at factories

Recorder Report

LAHORE: Government should constitute 'safety committees' at the level of factories and institutions beside arranging training of workers on modern lines so as to reduce ratio of accident and occupational diseases.

This was demanded by the speakers at the opening session of a three-day workshop on "safety, health and environment" arranged by the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions (APFTU) here on Wednesday.

The inaugural session of the workshop was addressed by various trade union representatives including Haji Muhammad Amin Rathore, additional secretary, Khushi Muhammad Khokhar, vice-president, Agha Badrul Islam Abdali, Minako Askiba, director, Japan International Labour Foundation, and Rehmat Ullah Javed, representative of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

The speakers maintained that accidents and occupational diseases of the workers could be checked by educating them on safety and health issues, observing safety measures at work place and improving the working environment.

Minako Askiba addressing on this occasion said that the working class of Japan would continue to extend all out cooperation and support to Pakistan for the purpose.

The other speakers urged the government to take appropriate measures to abolish the outdated labour laws and bring them in conformity with modern technological and agricultural development. They stated that Pakistan had the best labour force of the world and it was essential to prevent them from accidents and occupational diseases.