ISLAMABAD – International Labour Organization (ILO) Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo has joined Pakistan Observer for an exclusive podcast, marking his only media engagement during his visit to Pakistan.
Houngbo arrived in Pakistan for a four-day visit earlier this week, during which he also travelled to Karachi and Lahore as part of an intensive programme.
Earlier, the ILO chief held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, marking the beginning of his official engagements in the country.
The visit is Houngbo’s first official trip to Pakistan since he assumed the position of ILO Director-General in October 2022.
His exclusive podcast with Pakistan Observer provides a platform for his engagement with the Pakistani media during the visit.
PM Shehbaz Sharif and ILO DG discussed ways to further strengthen Pakistan’s longstanding partnership with the global labour body, with a focus on decent work, workers’ rights and social justice.
The ILO chief’s schedule brings him into contact with Pakistan’s top political leadership, employers and workers. He is due to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Chaudhry Salik Hussain, besides engaging with the chief ministers of Sindh and Punjab during his provincial visits.
Perhaps the most closely watched part of Houngbo’s visit will be his trip to the Gadani ship recycling yards in Balochistan, where worker safety and environmental concerns have long been central to discussions surrounding the industry.
At Gadani, the ILO chief will see initiatives supported by the organisation to make ship recycling safer and more sustainable. The visit is expected to put occupational health and safety, working conditions and environmental standards firmly under the spotlight.
The visit was underlined by provincial authorities, who have already coordinated security, transport and logistical arrangements for the ILO delegation’s trip to the ship recycling yards.
Houngbo’s Pakistan visit comes as Islamabad seeks stronger international cooperation on employment, skills development, labour migration and protection of workers.
In a meeting with Chaudhry Salik Hussain on Tuesday, the minister stressed the need for adequate labour protections for Pakistan’s large freelance and digital workforce. He also highlighted safe and dignified migration, fair recruitment, skills development and workers’ rights as key areas of cooperation with the ILO.
The two sides also agreed to intensify efforts to equip Pakistani workers with skills aligned with international standards and modern labour-market requirements. The ILO reaffirmed its support for improving workforce skills and expanding opportunities for Pakistani workers in the global labour market.
