SC announces ruling for case of minimum wage in Sindh

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court directed that the minimum wage of Rs19,000, as prescribed by the Sindh Wage Board, be paid, with an instruction to the Sindh government and the board to agree on new wages in consultation.

The petitions against Sindh's minimum wage of Rs25,000 were considered by a three-member bench led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah inquired about the federation's minimum pay during the hearing.

Abid Zuberi, the industry's counsel, responded that the federation had established Rs20,000 minimum pay. Justice Shah also inquired how Sindh's minimum salary had been increased. Zuberi stated that the provincial cabinet had authorised the minimum wage.

According to Justice Bandial, what authority did the government have to set the minimum wage? The additional advocate general of Sindh informed the court that the Sindh Wage Board proposed the province's minimum wage.

He cautioned, however, that it was up to the provincial government to approve or reject the board's recommendation. 

Zuberi noted that the provincial government was required by law to adopt the board's advice.

According to Zuberi, the statute provided that if the province government objected to the board's recommendations, it would return the subject within 30 days. Still, the Government of Sindh decided on its own.

Justice Shah inquired whether the matter would be placed on hold if no agreement could be reached between the Sindh government and the Wage Board. Additionally, he stated that the national minimum pay was set at 20,000 rupees, whereas the Sindh Wage Board recommended Rs19,000.

Justice Bandial remarked that when the Sindh Wage Board was tasked with resolving the problem, the court did not wish to prolong the process. Later in its judgement, the court stated that all industrial and commercial employees in Sindh shall be paid the minimum salary of 19,000 rupees and that the situation should be reviewed in two months.

The court distinguished the application of the interprovincial organisation from the case. The court determined that the application concerning the application of federal law to provincial industry will be adjudicated independently.