Sindh CM Murad Shah, Federal Minister Ch Salik discuss EOBI, WWF devolution for workers’ welfare

The meeting, held at the CM House, was attended by Provincial Minister for Labour Saeed Ghani, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, alongside the Chief Minister. Federal Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, along with Asif Jamal, Tariq Hassan, and Umar Mushtaq.

focused on matters related to overseas Pakistanis, labour welfare, and human resource development.

During the meeting, detailed discussions were held on the devolution of the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI) and Workers’ Welfare Fund (WWF) to the provinces. Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah stated that transferring EOBI and Workers’ Welfare Funds to the provinces would bring significant benefits to workers and ensure improved service delivery.

The Chief Minister pointed out that due to ongoing legal disputes, the funds were currently not being effectively utilised, as neither the federal government nor the provinces were able to fully access them. He emphasised that protecting workers’ rights was a shared responsibility of the federation and the provinces.

Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik Hussain assured that the issues would be resolved through mutual consultation and consensus. He stressed the importance of continued coordination between the federal and provincial governments to address labour welfare matters effectively.

It was agreed in the meeting that consultations between the federal government and the Government of Sindh would continue. Federal Minister Chaudhry Salik and Provincial Labour Minister Saeed Ghani will hold meetings alongwith their respective teams to further deliberate on EOBI and Workers’ Welfare Fund issues and to formulate actionable recommendations.

Both sides agreed that workers’ issues should be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, and underscored the need for a joint strategy on reforms related to EOBI and labour welfare institutions. The meeting also agreed to take labour welfare matters to their logical conclusion at the earliest.

The participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening coordination and harmony between the federal and provincial governments for the protection of workers’ rights and the effective implementation of labour welfare reforms.