CMNT_TITLE

1. Recalling the comments received from the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions concerning the application of the Convention in 2003, the Committee notes another communication from the same organization dated 26 April 2005. In the recent communication it is stated that tribal peoples in Pakistan suffered great economic and social hardship and deprivation and that there was a need for the Government to bring national law and practice into conformity with the Convention, including through effective economic and social measures to develop tribal areas and to provide for basic needs of education, water, health and employment opportunities. The Committee notes the Government’s report which contains some information in reply to the matters raised by the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions, as well as partial replies to the matters previously raised by the Committee. The Committee further notes the communication dated 23 January 2006 from the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, which was forwarded by the Government, outlining the contributions made by the employers to the development of the tribal areas.

2. The Committee recalls that under Article 2 of the Convention, the Government has the primary responsibility for developing coordinated and systematic action for the protection of the populations concerned, including action to promote the social, economic and cultural development of these populations and to raise their standard of living. In this regard, the Committee notes from the Government’s report that the Annual Development Programme 2003-04 for the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) was allocated PKR3.26 billion to implement schemes in the areas of education and training, including skills development for women, health, communication, agriculture and rural development. The Committee also notes that Pakistan’s 2003 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper indicates that the Government has initiated a major development effort in the FATA “to reach inaccessible areas and expose them to the mainstream economic benefits” (paragraph 5.193). The Committee notes that among the objectives of this effort are the improvement of the living conditions of the rural poor, to boost agricultural production, and to improve the status of women through training and support for income-generating activities. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its next report information on the implementation of these development programmes in the FATA, including statistical data or other indicators on the basis of which the Committee can appreciate the progress made in raising the standard of living of tribal people in the different agencies, in accordance with the Convention. Recalling its previous comments, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide information on the development activities in the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas, particularly those being implemented in Baluchistan.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.