Bangladesh labour unrest
BANGLADESH has been shaken by recent unrest in its key readymade garments sector as workers demand better pay. According to local media, around 400 factories have been shut, while protesting workers have confronted police in several locations, with law enforcers claiming the protesters ransacked a number of concerns. The garments sector is a major money-spinner for Bangladesh, contributing billions of dollars to the economy. However, workers say wages — which were last set in 2018 — are too low, and have rejected the minimum wage offered by factory owners. As one worker put it, “they make good money. But we don’t get a wage in accordance with that”. The condition of Bangladeshi labourers was highlighted globally after the 2013 Rana Plaza disaster. Over 1,100 workers perished when the facility manufacturing garments collapsed. Following the tragedy, international unions put pressure on foreign buyers as well as the Bangladeshi state to improve conditions for workers. These efforts led to two major accords that have greatly helped improve conditions in the country’s garments sector. Yet loopholes remain — as the recent protests have shown, workers are still struggling to secure a living wage.
There are parallels and lessons in Bangladesh’s labour travails for Pakistan. This country witnessed a major industrial disaster of its own — the result of criminal arson — in the shape of the 2012 Baldia factory fire. In the aftermath of that catastrophe, global unions have also pressed for improvements in working conditions in Pakistan’s factories. The Pakistan Accord, similar to earlier efforts in Bangladesh, has been designed to improve safety conditions. Though much work remains to be done on implementation, the accord is a positive development where creating safer workplaces is concerned. Both tycoons as well as the state need to realise that a living wage as well as safe working conditions are essential for the well-being of workers, which in turn would aid productivity and help business grow.
Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2023
Climate funding
PAKISTAN is in need of a staggering $340bn over the next seven years to tackle climate change and development challenges. This grim revelation came during an address by caretaker Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar at the second Pakistan Climate Conference. Dr Akhtar laid bare a critical conundrum — an intricate trade-off between raising climate finance and propelling development. The sum is equivalent to 10pc of Pakistan’s cumulative GDP during the same period. This is despite our relatively modest contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions (less than 1pc). At the heart of Pakistan’s climate aspirations are its commitments under the Paris Agreement, embodied in its Nationally Determined Contributions. These commitments are accompanied by an imposing price tag, with estimates soaring to nearly $200bn by 2030. However, the current financial landscape falls significantly short of these requirements, with a mere $39bn designated from public finance and an additional $9bn from public-private partnerships earmarked over the next 10 years. Bridging this substantial financial gap is imperative to fulfil Pakistan’s climate obligations.
To navigate this financial challenge, Pakistan has embarked on green finance initiatives, including the issuance of dollar-denominated green Eurobonds by Wapda. However, concerns over the high cost of international bond issuance and issues with the sovereign, have prompted a strategic shift. Dr Akhtar has championed an alternative route, favouring the Pakistan Stock Exchange as the platform for raising the necessary funds. Legal amendments have already paved the way, with government securities and diverse financial instruments, including Islamic and green finance, poised to take centre stage. Notably, an upcoming Sukuk issue will bear a ‘green element’, further aligning financial objectives with environmental goals. As Pakistan prepares for the forthcoming COP28 in the UAE, the nation is poised not only to emphasise the urgency of climate action but also to demand the realisation of the $100bn annual climate pledge. This commitment carries immense importance in Pakistan’s pursuit of sustainable development. Additionally, Pakistan will vigorously advocate for the establishment of a ‘loss and damage’ fund. This call recognises the unique climate challenges the country confronts — from the ominous spectre of glacial melting and frequent natural disasters to the relentless onslaught of heatwaves and the encroaching menace of sea-level rise.
Dr Akhtar’s sobering assessment calls for innovative solutions, unwavering international cooperation, and an indomitable commitment to securing the funds necessary to confront climate and development challenges in unison. In the words of UN Secretary General António Guterres, “As the glaciers retreat, we cannot. We must move forward with climate action”. The world must heed this urgent call, recognising that the challenges facing Pakistan are not isolated but emblematic of the shared responsibility to combat climate change and foster a sustainable future for all.
Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2023
NAB laws
WITH elections just three months away, the extension of a controversial ordinance that gives the National Accountability Bureau enhanced powers to detain and arrest individuals even on mere suspicion is a worrying sign.
The ‘midnight ordinance’ — described as such because of the furtive manner in which it was promulgated in July by Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani when he was acting president — has been extended through a majority vote in the Upper House.
Mr Sanjrani once again used his office to put the resolution directly to a vote despite a reasonable suggestion that the ordinance at least be reviewed by a committee in light of a recent Supreme Court judgement on previous amendments to the NAB law.
But from remarks made by the PML-N’s erstwhile law minister, it seems that those who had moved the resolution cared little about how a three-member bench headed by former chief justice Umar Ata Bandial had ruled on the PDM-led government’s tinkering with the accountability process.
That judgement is pending review by the Supreme Court under the Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Act, and the sponsors of the NAB amendments seem hopeful that it will be overturned.
So why this, and why now? When the Supreme Court has hinted that it is open to re-examining the NAB amendments case, why was the need felt to extend an ordinance that seems to have been promulgated only to give the accountability bureau a toolset with which to harass once again and coerce politicians?
It seems pertinent to point out that the changes the ordinance in question made to the NAB law were to give it the power to detain a suspect if they were ‘not cooperating’, the power to detain someone even if the charges against them were still at the ‘inquiry’ stage, and to increase the limit on keeping an arrested accused in physical remand to 14 days and increase it to 30 days.
Considering NAB’s alleged role in political engineering — a role every major political party in the country has accused it of playing at some point — the intent behind extending these powers right when an election date has finally been agreed to must be questioned.
The PDM’s justification for restructuring NAB’s powers was to prevent it from victimising politicians. Why, then, does it seem it will be used for the same purpose again?
Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2023