ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari signed into law the Sacked Employees (Reinstatement) Bill 2010 during a special ceremony held here at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Monday.

The signing ceremony was attended among others by federal ministers, members of parliament, federal secretaries and representatives of reinstated employees.

The bill was passed by National Assembly on October 7 and Senate on 10 November.

Addressing the gathering on the occasion, President Zardari said he is pleased to have signed the bill and congratulated all the workers who have thus been reinstated in their jobs through an act of the parliament.

He also felicitated parliament for passing the law and also the Minister for Labour and Manpower and all those who made it possible.

The president said, “it is an auspicious day for all of us as today we have fulfilled yet another promise and commitment made by our Shaheed leader and the government with the workers.”

He said worker and labour is the backbone of the country's economy and Pakistan Peoples Party and that is why from the day of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, PPP has kept welfare of workers and labourers uppermost in its mind.

He said Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto had promised the sacked employees of different organizations that they would be reinstated into their jobs.

“The critics of the present government sometimes accuse it of not providing jobs to the people. Yes, the job market has shrunk due to worldwide economic slow down and recession. But I ask the critics, is the reinstatement of thousands of sacked employees not giving them jobs?,” he said and added that he was very pleased to do it.

While commenting on various measures being undertaken by the government for economic revival, he said the improvement of economic condition requires collective effort of all.

He expressed the hope that policies adopted by the government would help improve economy and at the same time improve the condition of workers.

He said election manifesto of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) aimed at protection of rights of workers and creation of maximum job opportunities for the people.

Job security is the most significant motivating factor for employees who work hard for economic development and social progress of the country, he observed.

“The act signed today aims at providing relief to the politically victimized workers. It will benefit those appointed in a government department or in an autonomous body during the period from November 1, 1993 to November 30, 1996 and were dismissed during the period from November 1, 1996 to October 12, 1999.”

The president reiterated the PPP led government would continue to work for the welfare of the poor and the workers.