KARACHI: The workers of Pakistan`s shipbreaking industry at the Gadani yards have been facing immense problems for a long time and they deserve justice and due rights, said speakers at a press conference here at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on Monday.

They said thousands of workers at the Gadani shipbreaking industry been demanding from the federal and provincial governments, owners of shipbreaking yards and related departments togive them their due rights as per labour laws, but sadly their voice is not being heard.

They said that Gadani is the third largest shipbreaking centre of the world, but it depicts the picture of a forced labour camp The main issue of the workers is poor health and safety arrangements at the workplace, due to which deadly incidents are common there. However, the law enforcement agencies have become a tool in the hands of shipbreaking mafia.

The industry caters to the local needs of iron and steel, and saves precious foreign exchange for the country. Af ter the closure of Pakistan Steel Mills, it provides iron to re-rolling mills at cheaper rates. As per an estimate, Gadani shipbreaking provides one million tonnes of iron and other metals every year.Thousands of workers are compelled to work in illegal and inhuman working conditions, and are not being provided necessary safety equipment. Workplace safety arrangements are very poor and workers and their families are not provided proper living and commuting f acilities, and their children are deprived of proper education and healthcare.

The workers are not registered with social security institutions or the OldAge Employees Benefits Institute (EOBI). When they demand a raise in wages as proportionate to the price hike, they are sacked from their job.

There is no medical centre for the injured workers and there is no proper ambulance facility to rush them to the nearest hospital in case of a mishap.

Recently, when the representative labour union of the workers pointed out these issues and presented a charter ofdemands for raising wages in proportion to price hike and providing work safety, social security facilities and developing shipbreaking sector, some people having backing of powerful ship owners, tried to create ethnic riots among the workers.

Resultantly, one worker was injured.

The speakers at the press conference demanded that their charter of demands be approved. They said that if their charter of demands is not approved, the workers at Gadani would observe a complete strike on Friday, July 1, at all shipbreaking yards.

They demanded from the federal government to immediately ratify the Hong Kong Convention for giving better facilities to the workers and development of this industry.

The Hong Kong Convention of 2009 is ratified by 16 countries, including India.

If 40 per cent of the countries, whereships are broken, ratify the Hong Kong Convention, then it would be compulsory for all countries of the world to provide safety arrangements under the Convention, as well as, provide labour rights as per international law.

The workers through their charter of demands asked the ship owners to increase the basic wages of all workers by 50pc. They should all be registered with social security institution and EOBI. A water filter plant should be installed at every yard and workers should be provided clean drinking water. Canteen facility should be opened to provide workers quality food at concessional rates. Health and safety f acilities should be provided and related equipment, including dangris, safety shoes, gloves, face masks, goggles, ear plugs and firefighting gadgets should be arranged ateveryyard.