The National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) the main protection body of the rights of workers has become inactive for past many months owing to the negligence and carelessness of PML-N led PDM coalition government. According to the available documents, currently seats of eight members including the Chairman were laying vacant for several months, due to this number of cases are pending. No member available to hear pending cases in NIRC offices located at Karachi, Sukkur, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta offices. The ex- Chairman of the Commission Justice Shakirullah Jan retired on September 7, 2022. According to this news agency, PDM government's hostility towards labor or something else as government has made the laborers problems solving commission inactive.

The full bench of the commission must have at least 3 members. In Karachi, Sukkur, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta, there are no members to hear the cases. Currently, two members are working in the commission, including Noorzaman and Abdul Qayyum. Noorzaman has been made the acting chairman of the commission. Chairman Commission Justice Shakirullah Jan had retired on September 7. Likewise member Shaukat Memon retired on December 15, 2021. Members Muhammad Ashraf, Khaqan Babar and Ghulam Siddiqui were retired on April 15, 2022. According to the commission, currently more than five thousand cases are pending due to non-appointment of members as there was no one to hear the cases in five cities.

In Karachi, most workers or unions knock the door of commission for the fulfillment of their problems. Every day hundreds of people come to the commission but there are no members as they have no option but to return home hopelessly. There are 617 trade unions, 53 federations of trade unions and 45 association registered. When repeated contacted with Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and even minister but vain they did not given any response on this news. M/Awais/

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP