Fighting the menace: ‘Elimination of child labour is a priority’

Labour minister says all the departments concerned should work together to curb child labour


Our Correspondent March 23, 2017
Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resource says deserving children will be sent to schools. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE

LAHORE: Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resource Raja Ashfaq Sarwar said on Wednesday the prime responsibility of the Punjab government, particularly the Labour Department, was to uproot the menace of child labour from society.

The minister expressed these views while presiding over a meeting to reviews steps taken for the elimination of child labour from workshops, fuel stations and restaurants.

The meeting also reviewed the issuance of Khidmat Cards. It was said in the meeting that data of up to 87,000 children has been compiled after scrutiny of all stakeholders.

Most of these children were issued cards, whereas the remaining ones would be delivered after the due process.

The minister said all departments concerned were performing their duties diligently. Ashfaq lauded the role played by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) in this process. He said no dereliction of duty would be tolerated.

“Everyone should play their role for the achievement of this noble cause. It is the prime responsibility of the Punjab government and particularly the Labour Department to uproot the menace of child labour from society.

All the departments concerned should share their data in order to avoid discrepancies,” the minister said.

Ashfaq directed the Bureau of Statistics as well as the education and labour departments to enroll 9,445 children in schools and send a report on a daily basis.

Secretary Labour Department, secretary School Education Department, Nadra DG, Urban Unit CEO, Punjab Social Protection Authority CEO, Punjab Education Foundation MD, Punjab Bureau Statistics DG, TEVTA GM and representatives of Punjab Information Technology Board attended the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23rd, 2017.

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