Every unskilled worker, other than an apprentice, employed in a commercial or industrial establishment situated in an area specified in column 1 of the Schedule, shall be paid wages at a rate not lower than the minimum wages per month specified against such area in column 2 of the Schedule: Provided that where an employer provides housing accommodation to a worker, he may deduct from the wages of such a worker, an amount not exceeding that specified in column 3 of the Schedule and where the employer provides a worker with transport to and from the place of work, he may deduct from the wages of such a worker an amount not exceeding that specified in column 4 of the Schedule. 1
[Explanation.―In this section,― (i) 2 “month” means a normal working period of twenty-six days calculated at the rate of forty-eight hours of work per week; and [(ii) “wages” include cost of living allowance as admissible under the Employees Cost of Living (Relief) Act, 1973 (1 of 1974), and special allowance announced by the Government, from time to time, before the commencement of the West Pakistan Minimum Wages for Unskilled Workers (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001.]]

(1) Every employer shall be responsible for the payment of minimum wages required to be paid under this Ordinance to all unskilled workers employed, either directly or through a contractor, in his commercial or industrial establishment. (2) Where an unskilled worker employed in a commercial or industrial establishment to which this Ordinance applies has been paid wages for the month of July, 1969, at a rate less than the minimum rate of wages to which he is entitled under this Ordinance, the employer shall, within thirty days of the promulgation of this Ordinance, pay such worker the difference between the amount actually paid to him and the amount to which he is entitled under this Ordinance.