Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

The Committee notes with regret that no comments have been received from the Government in reply to the following communications received from the organizations of workers, which contain observations concerning the application of the Convention by Pakistan: communications dated 31 August and 19 September 2006 received from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (now – the International Trade Unions Confederation (ITUC)), communication dated 30 March 2007 received from the All Pakistan Federation of United Trade Unions (APFUTU) and communication dated 2 May 2007 received from the Pakistan Workers Federation (PWF). The Committee previously noted that the above communications were sent to the Government, in September and October 2006 and in May and June 2007, for any comments it might wish to make on the matters raised therein. The Committee also notes two new communications received from the ITUC (dated 29 August 2008) and PWF (dated 21 September 2008), which were sent to the Government, in September and October 2008, for any comments it might wish to make on the matters raised therein. The Committee hopes that the Government will not fail to supply its comments in its next report, so as to enable the Committee to examine them at its next session.

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation which read as follows:

        I. Articles 1(1) and 2(1) of the Convention

        A. Debt bondage

1. In its earlier comments, the Committee noted the difficulties in the implementation of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act (BLSA), 1992. The Committee notes the communications from the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions (APFTU) and the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (APTUF) dated 26 April 2005 and 14 May 2005, respectively, which contain comments on the observance of the Convention and which were forwarded to the Government in June and July 2005 for any comments it might wish to make on the matters raised therein. Among other things, the APTUF observed that the BLSA was not being implemented, and the APTFU similarly observed that laws, including those concerning bonded labour, were not being enforced due to the absence of adequate labour inspection machinery. Since no comments from the Government on these communications have been received to date, the Committee hopes the Government will provide them in its next report.

2. The Committee notes the National Policy and Plan of Action for the Abolition of Bonded Labour and Rehabilitation of Freed Bonded Labourers of 2001, which the Government communicated in its latest report. The Committee notes that under the plan of action, a National Committee for the Abolition and Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour was to be established to coordinate the implementation of the plan, with the specific functions of:

–        reviewing the implementation of the BLSA and of the action plan;

–        monitoring the work of the district-level vigilance committees set up under section 15 of the BLSA and the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Rules, 1995; and

–        addressing concerns of national and international bodies on bonded and forced labour issues.

The Committee notes the statement by the Ministry of Labour in its 2005 draft Labour Protection Policy, that the 2001 National Policy and Plan of Action “clearly establishes the intentions and commitment of Government to implement in full” the Convention. The Committee further notes, however, the statement of the Ministry of Labour in its document, “Labour Policy, 2002”, dated 23 September 2002, that the targets and activities set out in the 2001 National Policy and Plan of Action “need to be actively implemented”.

Implementation of National Policy and Plan of Action for the Abolition of Bonded Labour

3. The Committee notes that in its latest report the Government specifies recent initiatives against bonded labour it is taking or contemplating, apparently within the framework of its 2001 National Policy and Plan of Action, including:

–        establishment of a Legal Aid Service Unit in the Labour Departments of Punjab and NWFP with a toll free help line to provide legal advice and assistance to needy bonded labourers, with a plan envisaged to hire legal experts to provide legal assistance;

–        launching a scheme to construct low-cost housing for freed bonded labour families in the agricultural sector of Sindh, which will provide shelter to these families and contribute to their rehabilitation;

–        organizing training workshops for key district government officials and other concerned stakeholders to enhance their capacity and enable them to draw up district-level plans to identify bonded labourers and activate the district vigilance committees; and

–        incorporating the issue of bonded labour into the syllabi of judicial, police and civil service academies, in order to help sensitize judicial, law enforcement, and civil service officials to the problem, and holding capacity-building seminars.

4. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that, under the BLSA, inspection functions in the area of bonded labour have been assigned to the regular labour inspectorate, as well as to local government heads/officials and police departments. The Committee also notes from the 2001 action plan document, that the fund mandated by the BLSA Rules had been established and an initial deposit of 100 million rupees had been made. The Government, in its report received in January 2005 (on the application of the Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (No. 105)), indicates that work has started on making the Bonded Labour Fund functional, and that a project manual was being prepared to provide guidelines to executing agencies for preparing project proposals for financing.

5. While recognizing these government initiatives to try and combat bonded labour, the Committee hopes that necessary measures are being taken or envisaged to ensure the effective implementation of the 2001 National Policy and Plan of Action for the Abolition of Bonded Labour and Rehabilitation of Freed Bonded Labourers. The Committee hopes that in its next report the Government will provide detailed information on progress made and practical results achieved, including copies of relevant reports on all of the activities, projects, institutions and mandates referred to in the action plan. The Committee further asks that the Government provide information clarifying the present status of the district vigilance committees as well as their role in, and relationship to, the labour inspection process, and that it supply information about actions that both the district magistrates and vigilance committees are taking to ensure the effective implementation of the BLSA and the fulfilment of their other functions as mandated under the BLSA and the 1995 rules, such information to include copies of monitoring/evaluation reports prepared by the National Committee for the Abolition and Rehabilitation of Bonded Labour.

Special programme of action to combat forced/bonded labour

6. The Committee in its report (on the application of Convention No. 105), received in January 2005, the Government indicates that since mid-2002 it has been carrying out a special Programme of Action to Combat Forced/Bonded Labour with technical assistance from the ILO. The Government indicates that under the programme the ILO was, among other things, to provide training on human rights and bonded labour concerns to the District Nazims, members of the vigilance committees, and judicial and law enforcement officials; to assist the Government in developing partnerships with stakeholders, employers, and workers; to provide advice on the creation of a high-level national body to combat forced labour; and to assist it in launching demonstration projects to test the feasibility of approaches adopted to tackle the problem. The Committee asks that, in its next report, the Government provide more detailed and comprehensive information concerning this programme and its implementation, including copies of the most recent reports evaluating programme activities and outcomes.

Debt bondage: Data-gathering measures to ascertain the current nature and scope of the problem

7. The Committee notes that under the 2001 National Policy and Plan of Action a national survey to ascertain the extent of bonded labour was to have been undertaken by January 2002, yet it notes the Government’s indication in its latest report that no such quantitative survey has yet been carried out to measure the quantum of the problem in the country.

8. The Committee notes a 2004 report of an initiative of the Ministry of Labour and the ILO, entitled “Rapid Assessment Studies of Bonded Labour in Different Sectors in Pakistan”, which contains findings and conclusions from a series of rapid assessment studies conducted from October 2002 to January 2003 by teams of social scientists and researchers under the auspices of the Bonded Labour Research Forum (BLRF), the aim of which was to explore the existence and nature of bonded labour in ten sectors – namely, agriculture, construction, carpet weaving, brick making, marine fisheries, mining, glass bangles, tanneries, domestic work, and begging – and to seek preliminary conclusions. The project represented the first phase of a larger research programme and was intended to lay the groundwork for detailed sector studies and a national survey to determine the incidence of bonded labour across the country, as foreseen in the Government’s National Plan of Action. The rapid assessment studies focused primarily on debt bondage but also explored other forms of bonded and forced labour without debt.

9. The Committee notes the conclusion in the report that the findings in “the sectors covered … yield fresh insights into the workings of the peshgi (advance payments) system and its possible relationship with bonded labour and other coercive labour arrangements”. The correlation was found to be “relatively weak” in some sectors but present in others. The report also emphasizes the findings that there exist “other forms of labour bonding and coercion … not clearly associated with the peshgi system”.

10. The Committee reiterates its hope that the Government, as a follow-up to the preliminary part of the research programme noted above and in accordance with the mandate of its 2001 National Policy and Plan of Action, will undertake a statistical survey on bonded labour throughout the country, using a valid methodology in cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations and with human rights organizations and institutions, and that it will supply information on the progress achieved in this connection.

Bonded labour in agriculture

11. In its previous observation, the Committee noted the Government’s view that there are built-in deficiencies in its labour laws on dealing with labour engaged in the agricultural sector. The Committee asks once again that the Government supply further information on the issue, as well as information on measures taken or envisaged to remedy the situation, in the context of the eradication of bonded labour in agriculture.

        B. Trafficking in persons

12. The Committee notes the promulgation of the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance, 2002 (PCHTO), which entered into force in October 2002. Among other things, the ordinance criminalizes “human trafficking”, which it defines, in part, as trafficking that entails the use of coercion for the purpose of attaining any benefit or for the purpose of exploitative entertainment, slavery or forced labour (sections 2(h) and 3); makes trafficking offences punishable by sanctions involving sentences of imprisonment of up to seven years and, in cases of trafficking of women, of up to ten years, as well as fines (section 3); provides for special sentences for trafficking offences committed by organized criminal groups (section 4) and for repeated offences (section 5); provides for the payment of compensation and expenses to victims (section 6); and makes trafficking in persons cognizable by the courts as a prosecutable offence (sections 8 and 10). The Committee asks that in its next report the Government supply a copy of the most recent rules and regulations that have been promulgated to implement the PCHTO.

        Trafficking in persons. Data-gathering measures to ascertain the current nature and scope of the problem

13. The Committee notes the 2005 report of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) entitled, “Data and research on human trafficking: A global survey”, which indicates that Pakistan continues to be a major destination country for trafficked women as well as a major transit country of persons trafficked from Bangladesh to Middle Eastern countries, where women are exploited for sexual exploitation. The report indicates that men are seldom viewed as “victims of trafficking” and more often in the context of irregular migration, and that this shortcoming has limited the availability of knowledge and data on trafficking in men in South Asia. The report emphasizes that, while available studies contribute to an understanding of the causes, sources, destinations, and consequences of trafficking, current statistics on trafficking in persons are outdated or anecdotal, and there is an urgent need to carry out comprehensive national baseline surveys with the aim of developing a South Asian database on trafficking in persons. In light of these indications, the Committee hopes that the Government will undertake a national baseline survey on trafficking in persons, in cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations as well as other societal organizations and institutions, and that it will supply information on the progress achieved in this connection.

Practical measures aimed at the effective elimination of trafficking in persons.

14. The Committee notes the information concerning the Government’s collaboration with the IOM in an action programme on migration issues which includes, as a significant component, the problem of trafficking in persons. The Committee notes that, at the 12th Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in Islamabad in January 2004, the Government agreed to the Islamabad Declaration, which among other things calls on member States to “move towards an early ratification” of the SAARC Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution, adopted in 2002 (paragraph 19). The Committee also notes that in May 2005, representatives of the Government and other participants at the Fifth South Asia Ministerial Conference adopted the “Islamabad Declaration: Review and Future Action”, in which, among other things, they “recognize the gaps and challenges in implementation” in a number of areas, including an inadequate commitment, awareness, measures, and resources to combat violence against women (paragraph 5(g)); and the lack of regional cooperation and partnership initiatives to address problems of regional concerns such as trafficking in women (paragraph 5(q)). The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to develop policies and take measures that are aimed at the effective elimination of trafficking in persons in both law and practice, in conformity with the Convention, and that in its next report it will supply detailed information in this connection.

        II. Restrictions on voluntary termination of employment

15. In its earlier comments, the Committee referred to the information supplied by the Government representative to the Conference Committee in June 1999, according to which an amendment to the Essential Services (Maintenance) Act of 1952, under which government employees who unilaterally terminate their employment without consent from the employer are subject to a term of imprisonment, was to be considered by the tripartite Commission on the Consolidation, Simplification and Rationalization of Labour Laws. The Government indicated in its report of 2000 that the Commission’s final report was expected at the end of September 2000. As the Government’s latest report contains no new information on this subject, the Committee once again requests the Government to supply a copy of the Commission’s report. The Committee expresses its firm hope that the Government will take the necessary steps to bring the federal and provincial essential services Acts into conformity with the Convention and will report on the progress achieved in this regard.

16. The Committee also repeats its request for copies of the full texts of the following Ordinances enacted in 2000: the Removal from Service (Special Powers) Ordinance, No. XVII of 27 May 2000; the Civil Servants (Amendment) Ordinance, No. XX of 1 June 2000; and the Compulsory Service in the Armed Forces (Amendment) Ordinance, No. LXIII of 6 December 2000.

        III. Article 25. Adequacy and enforcement of penalties for the exaction of forced or compulsory labour

Enforcement of Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1992.

17. The Committee previously noted the allegations of the ICFTU, contained in its communications of 2001, according to which the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1992 (BLSA) had not been applied in practice, as few officials were willing to implement it for fear of incurring the wrath of the landlords, thus allowing the latter to use forced labour with impunity. Recalling that Article 25 of the Convention provides that the illegal exaction of forced or compulsory labour shall be punishable by penalties that are really adequate and strictly enforced, the Committee once again requests information on the number of inspections under the BLSA, as well as information about any legal actions taken against employers of bonded labourers, including copies of any court rulings in such cases.

Enforcement of Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance.

18. With regard to enforcement of the Prevention and Control of Human Trafficking Ordinance, 2002 (PCHTO), the Committee notes a press statement by the Minister of the Interior in June 2005 that, during the period from 2003 to May 2005, 888 trafficking-related complaints under the PCHTO were registered with the Federal Investigation Agency; that as many as 737 suspected traffickers were arrested; that in 336 of these cases investigations subsequently led to court prosecutions; and that these prosecutions resulted in 85 convictions and four acquittals, with the remaining cases still pending in trial. The Committee also notes from the report of the Prime Minister Secretariat, “One year performance of the Government, August 2004 August 2005”, dated 29 August 2005, a section on “Curbing human trafficking” in a chapter entitled “Improving law and order”, which states:

The Government through the Federal Investigation Agency has adopted stringent measures to curb human trafficking … For sustained action against human trafficking, Anti-Trafficking Units (ATUs) have been set up at FIA HQ and in zonal directorates. These outfits are dedicated units for the enforcement of laws relating to prevention of human trafficking to and from Pakistan. To solicit support from the Civil Society, leading NGOs have also been co-opted for information and assistance.

The Committee also notes the indication in the 2005 Annual Report of the Law Division of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights that, while the Government has promulgated an ordinance to criminalize human trafficking, “a lot needs to be done for effective implementation of that ordinance”.

19. The Committee asks that in its next report the Government provide updated information on the enforcement of the PCHTO, including statistics concerning the numbers of trafficking-related complaints registered, individuals arrested, court proceedings initiated, convictions obtained, penalties imposed, and victim compensation awarded, including copies of all relevant court rulings. More generally, it hopes that the Government, in accordance with Article 25 of the Convention, will endeavour to both assess whether and ensure that the penalties provided under the PCHTO that punish trafficking are really adequate and will strive to ensure that the PCHTO is strictly enforced, and that it provide information in this connection, including updated information concerning the evolution of the system of anti-trafficking units and assessing its strengths and shortcomings.

The Committee hopes that the Government will make every effort to take the necessary action in the very near future.