FAISALABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 20th Aug, 2026) Former President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Mian Muhammad Adrees said that Pakistan cannot put its industrial economy back on a sustainable growth track until employers, workers and government jointly redesign policies around the realities of a rapidly changing global marketplace.
Addressing an awareness seminar on “Fundamental Human Rights at Workplace” organized by Employers Federation of Pakistan at Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), he said that industrial sector of Pakistan was facing crises.
“The world has moved far ahead while our software has not been updated”, he said, stressing that outdated policies and an unsuitable business environment were preventing industries from achieving their full potential.
Mian Muhammad Adrees called for comprehensive policies and conditions that could accelerate industrial activity and warned that the closure of factories did not hurt industrialists alone but also deprived workers and institutions of economic opportunities and revenues.
He described the workplace human rights awareness session as highly timely and relevant to the prevailing circumstances, saying such initiatives should be organized regularly as they provide employers and employees with an opportunity to sit together, understand each other’s concerns and develop greater harmony.
Earlier, Secretary General Employers Federation of Pakistan Syed Nazar Ali said that a new business landscape was emerging under which compliance with international labor and business standards had become unavoidable for Pakistan.
Referring to GSP Plus requirements and other international conventions, he said that the country would have to comply with these commitments to protect and expand its export markets.
He said that four more international conventions were also being incorporated into the compliance framework, making preparedness by Pakistani businesses increasingly important.
Syed Nazar Ali said that compliance should not be viewed merely as an obligation, but also as a means of improving productivity, competitiveness and workplace standards.
He stressed that workers’ rights must be protected under all circumstances.
He also proposed establishing a dedicated desk at Faisalabad Chamber to facilitate local employers in dealing with labor-related requirements, compliance matters and other issues.
During question-answer session, participating employers proposed a single certification system, arguing that businesses were compelled to spend considerable time and resources meeting different sets of requirements imposed by different international buyers.
The employers also pointed out that Faisalabad currently had no representation in the Pakistan Labor Court, despite both employers and workers having earlier reached consensus on recommendations seeking such representation.
The participants stressed the need to strengthen tripartite cooperation among the government, employers and workers to create a more stable industrial environment and accelerate economic and industrial development.
The seminar was attended by APTPMA Chairman Bao Muhammad Akram, Shahid Majeed, Waheed Khaliq Ramay, Mirza Zahid Iqbal, Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz, Muhammad Nasir, Mian Shahbaz Ahmad and officials from the Labor Department, Social Security and Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).
Representatives of major industrial and business groups including Sitara Chemicals, Interloop, K&M, Masood Textile, Maheen Textile, Double A Spinning, Rafhan Maize, Crestex, Gohar Textile, J.K. Group, Kamal Textile Mills, Asia Pak, Chawla Group, Jaffer Brothers, Chemtech, Kailash and Al-Haram Textile besides representatives of workers and employers also participated in the seminar.
Later, Mian Muhammad Adrees presented a shield of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) to Employers Federation of Pakistan Secretary General Syed Nazar Ali in recognition of his participation.
