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The Government of Pakistan considers the workers as the strong stakeholders
of the public sector entities being offered for privatisation and it is the
prime objective of privatisation policy to safeguard the interests of the
workers of the Public Sector entities in particular. Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh
stated this in a statement issued on the observance of May Day here today.
He said that as compared to any other international privatisation experience,
Pakistan had the distinction of offering most generous schemes for the
workers. Prior to privatisation of any such entity with the consent of APSEWAC
the government offered Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) or Golden Handshake
Scheme (GHS) to the interested workers to ensure that they should not be left
high and dry, he stated.
The Minister added that as a result of these post privatisation benefits to
the workers so far a huge amount of Rs. 6.032 billion had been disbursed as
GHS/ VSS among 29970 employees of the privatised units.
He assured the workers that no one could think of working against the
interests of the workers of Pakistan in particular. Even in certain cases we
appreciated the workers to become owners of the entities to be privatized and
there was no embargo on them for taking part in the privatisation process. 10
% shares of each privatized entity is also meant for the workers, which is
another effort to make them realize the feelings of ownership in these
entities.
Dr. Hafeez Shaikh further stated that Pakistan was proud of its workforce who
with their devotion and commitment had made this country a hub of economic
activity and were the purveyors of development and progress. While
commemorating the sacrifices made by the workers of Chicago who laid down
their lives for the just cause of the legitimate rights and for the uplift of
the dignity of labour in the world, we in Pakistan observe this day with a
strong commitment to build our nation stronger with hard work and dedication
for improvement and development in every sphere of life of our beloved
country, he added.
Dr. Hafeez Shaikh said that the on going privatization was a pro-poor and
pro-worker process which had a binding on buyers to retain those workers for a
period of one year who did not opt for GHS/VSS after the privatisation of any
entity and not to expel these workers immediately even in case of excess work
force or inefficiency.
He further stated that Pakistan’s Privatisation Program also envisaged that
the privatized units should run more efficiently and profitably by the
professionals to generate additional jobs in the private sector. Our
Privatisation program was not focused to associate private sector for making
money or to make massive retrenchments in the public sector entities, he said.
Our goal was to ensure low tariff through competition and to extend quality
services, increase production and above all to give market based salaries,
better working environment and facilities to our skilled and unskilled labour.
The privatisation process was initiated in Pakistan in 1991. The break through
could only be possible with the signing of APSEWAC Agreement in October 1991
between Ministerial Committee and representatives of All Pakistan Workers
Action Committee (APSEWAC). The Agreement provided most generous scheme
of VSS/ GHS for the workers.
Dr. Hafeez Shaikh while lauding the hard work being laid down by the Pakistani
workforce within and out side the country said that the workers were the main
force behind the economic development of our country. The privatisation
program in Pakistan was a joint effort of the Privatisation Commission and our
workforce, to get the private sector in for better wages, facilities, transfer
and adaptation of latest equipment / technology for the speedy economic growth
and above all for the expansion in these units by making fresh investments, he
remarked.
This activity would not only expand our industry but it would also generate
more jobs for our unemployed youths, including skilled and unskilled workers,
he stated.
He added that in the presence of a comprehensive welfare and social security
net being provided to the workers, the Privatisation Program in Pakistan is
being conducted peacefully with the utmost understanding and cooperation
between the government and the workers.