Underage children working as conductors on the rise

In spite of many strict laws existing against child labour, the number of young children aged 14 years of age or even less than that working as bus conductors is increasing in the garrison city with each passing day.

Instead of going to school, these children were forced to work as conductors or child labourers owing to poor economic conditions in their homes.

The government and the labour department has turned a blind eye to the grave issue, leaving these underage boys to be exploited by the employers just for a pittance. The existing law is being flouted in the presence of the Child Protection Bureau and the provincial labour department.

Like in workshops, small industries and at homes as domestic workers, the young children now could be seen working as conductors in public transport buses, wagons and other modes of transport.

These underage children at the same time also have to face a host of problems including harassment at the hands of drivers and others linked to the transport industry.

Muhammad Muzammil, a 10-year-old conductor working as a conductor in a public transport plying from Raja Bazar to Saddar, said that “he lives in slums on a drain near Dheri Hassanabad.

He said that he has four siblings and his father died a few years ago and his mother works as a maid and both he and his mother were the breadwinners.

Muzammil said that their domestic economic situation was very weak. He said that he earns Rs150 by working all day to support his family

He said that “he had to do his duty from 8 am to 10 pm and he has to hang on the back doorstep of the vehicle and had to make loud sounds in order to lure passengers”.

Muzammil further said that whenever a passenger pays less, the driver deducts the amount from his entire day's earnings as a punishment. At the Suzuki stand, people call him by different names according to his age, body structure and skin colour.

Another child labourer, 12-year-old Jamil Boota said that he had been working as a conductor in a local wagon on the Rawat route for the last six months.

He that despite severe weather conditions, he has to work for 10 to 12 hours each day. He said that he earns Rs200 for the whole day to support his family.

Jamil said that to date no government agency contacted him to offer any financial help so that he could quit the job and go to school.

Jamil said that on occasions of happiness or grief, he had to ask his owner for extra money and in return, he had to perform extra duty.

At times, whether he's hungry or drowsy all day, he has to complete his route work, otherwise, the owner would deny his daily wage.

Children working as conductors could be seen at bus stands, Raja Bazar Suzuki Stand, Murree Road, President Wagon Stand and GPO Chowk Suzuki Stand.

Several calls were made to Rawalpindi Labour Department Director Dr Muhammad Fazal to get his version on the issue but his mobile phone went switched off.

Child Protection Bureau District Officer Syed Ali Naqvi claimed that their organisation was active in the welfare and care of street children round the clock.

He said that public transporters should show responsibility by not hiring children as conductors.

He said that if citizen complaints, immediate action is taken, and not only the vehicle is fined but also the child is taken into custody and provided shelter and after warning the parents, the child is handed over to them.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2022.