Govt Told To Legislate For Minimum Wages Enforcement
The Lahore High Court has directed the Government of Punjab to make legislation to implement the Minimum Wages Act 1961 for domestic workers. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah passed this order disposing of a petition filed by a domestic worker, Subay Khan.
Representing the petitioner, lawyer Sheraz Zaka contended there were no guidelines with respect to minimum wage of domestic workers regulated under the Minimum Wage Act 1961.
He said a notification in this regard should have taken place much earlier but over the past so many years a lack of concern on the government’s part was resulting in violation of the fundamental rights of domestic workers.
He said the law required a judicial review in order to seek directions for the respondents to notify the minimum wages for the domestic workers keeping in view the International Law on Domestic Workers Convention 2011. He said it was against the dignity of domestic workers that they were deprived of minimum wages guidelines and forced to work against nominal sums.
The government’s counsel told the court the existing labour laws did not cover domestic workers. However, he said, the government was pondering about a legislation to this effect.
The judge disposed of the petition and directed the government to ensure a legislation so that domestic workers could benefit from the Minimum Wages Act.
This news was previously published in DAWN and it is being republished here with permission.
