KARACHI - Only 2.1 million workers out of 45 million Pakistanis in the labour force have secured social security cards, showing less than 4 per cent of the total labour force. By law, every worker must be issued a social security card. Speakers said this while addressing a moot of brick kiln owners and workers, which aimed at motivating the brick kiln owner for social security cards. The event was organised by the SPARC here on Friday. Kashif Bajeer of SPARC said that the total social security expenditure in Pakistan is 1.1 of GDP whereas in India it is 2.6 and 6.4 is in Asia. More than 200 brick kiln workers, owners, trade union activists, civil society activists, government official from SESSI and Labour Department participated in the seminar. The event aimed at legal empowerment of brick-kiln workers through social protection services and to aware brick kiln workers about the process of social security card procurements, its benefits and better protection of workers’ rights. He said that the most of the owners pay to a very few workers while the rest remain at their mercy, the reason is that they were required to pay at least seven per cent of each worker’s total wages into the social security system. He further said that SPARC moves to boost social security rights for brick kiln workers and labourers. The social security system means the system to enable every citizen to lead a worthy life as a member of cultured society. Social security system provide countermeasures against the causes for needy circumstances including illness, injury, childbirth, disablement, death, old age, unemployment and having a lot of children by implementing economic security measures through insurance or by direct public spending.SESSI director Azhar said that Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Act 1976 is applicable on all firms (industrial or commercial, including banks) where five or more workers were employed or were employed during past 12 months. The laws remain applicable even if the number of persons employed is subsequently reduced to less than five. This social insurance system was started to achieve the objective of Article 38 of the Constitution, he said. In accordance with Chapter 3 of the Act, an employer is required to pay contribution equal to 5 per cent of the minimum wage while an employee has to pay that contribution at the rate of one per cent of minimum wage, so, in total; they have to submit Rupees 420 rupees for every insured employee, no matter what is his income level. Labour deputy director Sarwar Utero said that the old age pension and social security schemes were the safety valves to protect vulnerable segments of the society against unforeseen circumstances. Social security facilities provide medical services, a death grant and marriage grant. Survivor grant (workmen’s compensation): A lump sum of Rs0.1 million is paid. He further said that the government was also managing other social assistance programmes for the welfare of destitute and needy citizens. Under the Zakat and Ushr Ordinance, 1980, benefits are provided to the poor Muslim citizens of Pakistan while under the Pakistan Baitul Mal Act, 1992 and Benazir Income Support Program Ordinance, 2010 assistance is being provided to all the citizens of Pakistan irrespective of their religion, he added.Punhoo Bheel, the union leader of brick kiln workers, said that they had been working on the kiln since their forefathers but they had not been provided any facility of health, education or social security. They had to take advances and loans to meet the expenses of health, marriage or funeral expenses and they become more victim of bondage. The brick kiln owners from various areas of the province including Hyderabad, Tando Haider, Tando Ghulam Ali and participated in the event. They announced that they would contribute for the social security cards of their brick kiln workers and are ready to initiate the process and complete all the formalities in this regard.Zahid Thebo from SPARC appreciated the announcement and called it a success of Tando Haider brick kiln workers and brick kiln trade union. He asked other kiln owners to follow this precedent and take necessary initiatives to provide social security cards to the brick kiln workers.