Labour Day.

AS is the case every year, May 1, or the International Workers Day, was celebrated this year, too, as the Labour Day even though there was little, if anything, to 'celebrate'. While the workers enjoy better benefits in other parts of the world, labour in Pakistan still faces exploitation and apathy of the authorities concerned.

The number of children being used as labour in Pakistan is increasing day by day due to lack of checks and balances on the small and medium industries. Moreover, workplaces are not safe for the labour as per the International Labour Organisation (ILO) guidelines. Also, the labour force in Pakistan is not registered with the Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), which was established to facilitate the workers.

It is important to provide an environment conducive to the needs of both the employees and the employers at the workplace. However, in...