KARACHI - The speakers at a meeting called "Consultation on Workers' Rights" urged for legislation for the labourers in accordance with the international law. They were addressing a meeting here on Friday held under the aegis of Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRCP). The speakers included I. A. Rehman, Sheikh Majeed, Farid Awan, Shafique Ghauri, Muhammad Ali Shah, Chairman of Pakistan Fishermen folk Forum (PFF), and other representatives of civil society and labour leaders. In their addresses, they urged that the legislation is necessary for the implementation of recently ratified International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, by convening a tripartite labour conference to remove impediments to the enforcement of the workers' rights, adoption of a plan for land reforms so as to protect the rights of the tenants and cultivators, and speedy acceptance of the charter of labour rights adopted by workers representatives on March 30, are the main recommendations of a broad-based consultation with representatives of workers and fisher folk organisations. They also welcomed the government decision to ratify International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and demanded speedy adoption of legislation so that the people of Pakistan could realise their rights. The participants specially emphasised the need to recognise the right to work, which includes the right to work of one's choice, the rights of workers to their economic development, safe and healthy working conditions, form trade unions, women's right to equal wages for equal work and the right to social security. The meeting endorsed the charter adopted by labour organisations in March this year and suggested that priority should be given to withdrawal of all restraints on the right to form unions, extension of social security network, consolidation of labour laws as recommended by the Shafiur Rehman Commission, implementation of ILO Convention 182 on Worst Forms of Child Labour and revision of ILO 2002 to bring this law in harmony with workers' inalienable rights. In the opinion of the participants the implementation of the Bonded Labour System Abolition Act needed to be reviewed. It was necessary to provide for the settlement of liberated haris. They had a right to be allotted land so that they could utilize their skills. The meeting strongly urged the government to immediately convene a tripartite labour conference to resolve issues concerning the country's work force. The meeting regretted that little was being said about the plight of agricultural workers, tenants and landless peasants. The meeting called for a new land utilization policy, fixation of a fair ceiling on land holdings and distribution of land among men and women who till the land. The government was also asked to ensure implementation of the ILO convention on the agricultural workers right to form union. The government was also urged to pay serious attention to the continued exploitation of Pakistan's fisher folk. The policy of handing over sea-shore to so called developers was severely criticised along with the policy of favouring foreign fishing organisations at the cost of the country's fishing community.