RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday said labourers were the backbone of the economy and his party had always worked for their rights.

“Pakistan’s industries have been manufacturing their products just because of the hard work of the labourers,” Nawaz said while talking to a delegation of the Pakistan Railways Union led by Raja Yasir Aslam, at the Punjab House in Islamabad.

“Today, workers want a conducive environment for working and labour-friendly policies and actions that allow them an opportunity to utilise their skills to serve the country,” he said.

Nawaz said the PML-N was fully aware of the problems faced by the labourers and has been trying to remove the miseries of this important segment of the society.

“No country can progress with out the help of labourers and the PML-N will highlight their problems on every platform,” he said.

Raja Yasir Aslam informed the PML-N chief about the problems being faced by the labourers and the government’s ignorance of the same.

He said despite directions of Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the authorities had so far not issued a notification to withdraw the ban on unions in Pakistan Railways, adding that numerous PPP-backed unions in other departments had been issued notification to resume operation.

He said that members and office bearers of the railways’ employees union were being politically victimised by the PPP government.

Nawaz assured the union members of his full cooperation.