Adil Najam
Today is May 1. The 125th international Labor Day. Even before anything has actually happened, newspapers and TV anchors are telling us that the ‘nation’ will ‘observe’ the day in a “befitting manner.” Great predictors of the future that our media is, one is at least thankful that they are not promising that we will all ‘celebrate’ the occasion – there is not much to celebrate in the plight of labor in Pakistan. There has never been.
We are told that there will be rallies and processions and speeches and and discussion and renewed pledges. All very good. Thank you. All very useful, I am sure, for those in whose name we will pontificate today.
Maybe, an alternative way to ‘observe’ Labor Day today might be to just observe those who labor around us. On this one day, let us make those who are forever invisible to us, visible.
To observe their labor – in respect, in awe, in shock, and maybe even in shame!
(P.S. The picture above was taken in Karachi yesterday, April 30, 2011).
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labor day is celebrate of all peoples because labor first a human then a labor and we are all humans.He worked our family.All peoples request pleases appreciate every worker.
This is one of the nice initiatives for informing about the life of lower class people, the way they taken to survive their life and how other are taking them. Thanks for discussing on this issue. I would like to look forward for another informative stuff from you.
Quoting from the last episode of Spartacus Blood and sand
” Kill’em….Kill’em all”
Sub say pehlay Pakistan
Saba, yes the official minimum wage is Rs. 7000. There was a post on this right here last year on this day: http://pakistaniat.com/2010/05/01/labor-day-minimu m-wage-raised-to-rs-7000/
In a country where animals are more valuable than people, there is a lot of room for improvement. Unless Pakistan develops its scientific and technological base, the value of human capital will remain low, and will be exploited. Not just labor, but an average Pakistani would be “less valuable” in the global context, due to their lower potential to contribute to the global economy. Human brain is one of the most valuable resource for any nation, if it is put to good use. Regretfully, in this country it is wasted and never realizes its true potential. When corruption is rampart and there is no justice, terms such as productivity, merit and competitive advantage have no meaning. I think in the Pakistani context, labor day should be celebrated with a pledge to end labor (including child labor) in Pakistan, and make the best use of human capital, in a manner that realizes its true potential.