KARACHI: The Sindh government has established a new minimum monthly wage of Rs37,000 for workers throughout the province, starting July 1, 2024. This move is intended to improve worker welfare and guarantee fair pay across various sectors, as announced by the provincial government.
The Sindh Minimum Wages Board has released an official gazette in accordance with the Sindh Minimum Wages Act 2015, specifying the minimum wage for unskilled workers. This notice is meant to inform the public and relevant parties.
The notification also invites feedback on the proposed wage rate. Objections and suggestions must be submitted to the Secretary of the Minimum Wages Board Sindh in Karachi within 14 days from the date of the gazette’s publication. Late submissions will not be considered, according to the handout.
“The updated wage applies to all unskilled adult, adolescent, and female workers in any industrial or commercial establishment across Sindh, whether registered or unregistered,” the handout states. “The rates will be uniformly enforced throughout the province.”
This wage adjustment will be governed by the Sindh Minimum Wages Act 2015, encompassing regulations on daily and weekly working hours, overtime, rest days, and work on holidays, as per the Sindh Factories Act 2015, Payment of Wages Act 2015, and other relevant labor laws.
The notification further specifies that minimum wage rates for other unskilled workers in any industry must not fall below those established for unskilled adult and adolescent workers in Sindh. “All industries, regardless of registration status, must comply with the rates specified in the appended schedule,” it notes.
According to the Minimum Wages Act 2015, the minimum wage is set at Rs178 per hour, Rs1,423 per full day, and Rs37,000 per month for workers who work eight hours a day and six days a week.
Workers will continue to receive benefits such as free accommodation/house rent, water, electricity, transportation, medical care, pension, bonuses, insurance, provident fund, recreational facilities, subsidized food, education, holidays, and paid leave.
The handout also emphasizes that any variable allowances or welfare benefits will not be deducted from the minimum wage rates. “All government, semi-government, and private institutions hiring manpower, whether through contractors or tenders, must ensure compliance with the minimum wage rates.”
Complaints about wage payments below the stipulated rates can be filed with the Board under Section 13 of the Sindh Minimum Wages Act 2015 and Rule 16, 2021.
