Observation (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

Fee-Charging Employment Agencies Convention (Revised), 1949 (No. 96) - Pakistan (Ratification: 1952)

Part II of the Convention. 1. In its report for the period July 1991-June 1992, the Government indicates once again, as in its previous reports since 1987, that the draft Rules under the Fee-Charging Employment Agencies (Regulation) Act, 1976, have been formulated and circulated to the provincial governments for their comments. The Government repeats that these Rules still have not been finalized. The Committee notes that the Government's report due for the period ending 30 June 1993 has not been received. It must therefore reiterate its hope that the Government will not fail to take the necessary measures with a view to bring the Act into operation in the nearest future in order to give legislative effect to the requirement of the Convention concerning the abolition of fee-charging employment agencies "within a limited period of time", but not "until a public employment service is established" (Article 3 of the Convention).

2. In its earlier comments, the Committee also noted the information supplied by the Government as regards the regulation of the "overseas employment promoters", under the Emigration Ordinance, 1979, and Rules made thereunder. It notes the observations made in October 1993 by the All Pakistan Federation of Trade Unions stating that effective measures should be taken with a view to supervision of agencies for recruiting the workers abroad. The Committee therefore would be grateful if the Government would make its observations on the matters raised in this communication and, more generally, would continue to supply, in its future reports, any relevant information on the fee-charging employment agencies for which exceptions are allowed under Article 5 of the Convention, as required under Article 9 of the Convention (number of agencies concerned, scope of their activities, reasons for the exceptions, supervision of their activities).

3. Please give a general appreciation of the manner in which the Convention is applied, including, for instance, extracts from official reports, information regarding the number and nature of the contraventions reported, and any other particulars bearing on the practical application of the Convention, as required by point V of the report form.

[The Government is asked to supply full particulars to the Conference at its 81st Session and to report in detail for the period ending 30 June 1994.]