Pakistan has held a national consultation on a draft occupational safety and health policy aimed at improving protections for workers in both formal and informal employment.
The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development hosted the September 9 meeting in Islamabad with technical support from the International Labour Organization (ILO), according to the official announcement. Workers, employers and government representatives discussed the proposed framework.
The draft covers agricultural and domestic workers, home-based workers, migrants and people working through digital platforms. Women, young workers and people with disabilities are also among the groups identified in the consultation.
The proposed policy addresses workplace hazards including extreme heat, exposure to chemicals and biological risks, and safety concerns linked to changing technology. Provincial authorities are expected to lead implementation, supported by federal coordination and information sharing.
The ILO’s guidance on national workplace-safety frameworks distinguishes between setting a policy, establishing the institutions needed to carry it out and developing programmes with measurable objectives. Those arrangements can include workplace inspections, training and cooperation between employers and employees.
The September consultation was part of the policy-development process, not the introduction of new workplace rules. Participants’ feedback is intended to inform revisions to the draft.
The ministry has not announced an implementation date. The next significant step will be publication of the completed policy and details of how responsibilities and enforcement will be organised.