In societies divided on class, gender, and ethnic lines, nothing is apolitical. The nexus of power and knowledge production is not subtle – it is bare, naked, and entrenched. Bureaucratic boards and professional bodies often speak the language of power, not of the people. There are no neutral sciences, and certainly no neutral economics. This truth is once again laid bare in the Punjab Government’s recent notification dated 8 September 2025, declaring the minimum wage of unskilled workers as Rs. 40,000 per month, on the recommendation of the Minimum Wage Board.

At first glance, the figure appears like progress. Yet, labour leaders point out that Rs. 40,000 is far below the living wage of nearly Rs. 70,000 that unions have long demanded. Worse still, the notification omits any mention of the minimum wage for skilled workers, a practice that was always upheld in the past, when detailed notifications spanning over 80 pages were issued, covering 102 industries and their skilled categories. Why has this practice been brushed aside? What logic justifies this........

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