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The Committee notes the brief report received in January 2005 and the elements of a reply to its previous observation provided in September 2005. The Committee also notes a communication from the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions (APFTU), a copy of which was forwarded by the Government.

1. Supervision and control by a central authority. The Committee notes that the APFTU alleges a general failure to apply the Convention in the two largest provinces in the country, namely Punjab and Sind, through the failure of the provincial governments to fulfil their constitutional and legal obligations. The Committee notes in this respect the Government’s statement that labour inspection is placed under the control of the provincial authorities, which themselves answer to the federal authorities. The Committee requests the Government to specify the effect given in relation to the provinces of Punjab and Sind to the provisions of Article 4 of the Convention, which provides that labour inspection shall be placed under the supervision and control of a central authority.

2. Labour inspection policy. The Committee notes that the Government is in the process of formulating a labour protection and labour inspection policy with the assistance of the Asian Development Bank. It notes that a tripartite task force has been appointed for this purpose and that the policy will be aimed at reorganizing and streamlining labour inspection services in the provinces. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the projects undertaken and the progress achieved in this field, with an indication of the manner in which they contribute to strengthening the application of the Convention.

3. Publication of an annual report. The Committee notes the Government’s assurances that an annual report on labour inspection should soon be published once again and transmitted to the ILO. Recalling that the last annual report received by the ILO covered the year 1995, the Committee hopes that the Government will be in a position in the near future to publish and transmit, within the time limits prescribed, an annual report established in accordance with Article 20, and that the report will contain all the information required by Article 21 of the Convention.