10 booked for employing child labour

In a bid to eradicate child labour, the Rawalpindi Labour Welfare Department (LWD) registered cases against 10 employers who had hired children below 15 as labourers.

LWD Director Chaudhry Fazal Hussain categorically said that there would be no leniency with such employers.

He added that the department was preparing a detailed report of all private businesses that violate the law which bars hiring of children aged below 15 as workers.

Hussain informed that most of the private businesses do not abide by laws pertaining to minimum wage and working hours while they do not pay overtime to the workers too. The official said that directions had been given to the related officials for strict action against all such private businesses.

Children who live below the poverty line or are orphans are usually forced into child labour, however, the district administration has started to fine some Rs50,000 against such employers who employ under age children at their workplaces. Up to seven cases have been registered up till now.

Furthermore, tea-stalls, auto workshops and restaurant owners as well as other vendors have been warned that strict action would be taken against them if they employed children under the age of 15 and violated the child labour law.

Meanwhile, the Directorate of Labour Welfare Department has given parents the offer to pay a monthly fee of just Rs550 in return for admitting their under age children in Grade I to Grade V in any private school along with the free provision of books and school uniform.

Hussain said that the department was making serious efforts to curb child labour. However, he admitted that the children belonging to families facing financial strains were usually victims of child labour.

He added that some parents show have given negative feedback regarding the initiative, however, the Labour Welfare Department will not stop the mission of eradicating child labour.

LWD director warned that the violation of child labor laws would lead to punitive action. Deficient and conflicting legislation on child labour and rights is the main hurdle to curbing this practice while the poor implementation of existing laws by local authorities further worsens the situation with children not only continuing to suffer from poverty but also torture.

The International Labour Organisation has warned that as a result of Covid-19 pandemic, two million more children will be pushed into child labour in Pakistan as the economy collapses.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2020.