Karachi, During an International Labor Day event held at the Karachi Arts Council, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), emphasized the vital role of workers in driving the economies and institutions of Pakistan and urged for public-private partnerships (PPPs) as preferable to the privatization of major institutions like Pakistan Airlines. He also called on the federal government to consider wage increases for employees to address inflation in the upcoming budget.
According to Pakistan Peoples Party, Chairman Bhutto Zardari spoke passionately about the contributions of workers to the nation’s economy and reaffirmed the PPP’s commitment to ensuring workers receive their rightful benefits. He recounted historical measures taken by his party to protect worker rights, including the establishment of the Employees Old Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the pro-labor actions of Benazir Bhutto.
Chairman Bhutto Zardari also cited legislative successes in Sindh, which he claimed surpassed other provinces in terms of laws made for worker welfare. He highlighted the Benazir Mazdoor Card, a scheme introduced by the Sindh government that awaits full implementation pending the federal transfer of certain powers and institutions as per the 18th Amendment.
Focusing on the topic of privatization, the PPP chairman stated that the party has consistently favored running institutions like Pakistan Airlines through PPPs rather than privatizing them. He pointed to successful PPP projects in Sindh, such as the Thar Coal Project, as models of effective public-private collaboration.
Regarding Pakistan Steel Mills, Chairman Bhutto Zardari expressed that decisions regarding the institution should involve the Sindh government, as the land is owned by the province. He proposed that if the federal government plans to divest, the Sindh government should have the option to manage it under a PPP model to ensure more efficient operations and better worker conditions.
Finally, Chairman Bhutto Zardari announced the appointment of former Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani to lead the mobilization of the People’s Labor Bureau across the country, underscoring the PPP’s ongoing commitment to labor rights.