Suspect held for child labour trafficking
A Pakistani girl working at a brick kiln factory. PHOTP: AFP
The Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CP&WB), Government of Punjab, with the help of police successfully apprehended a man who allegedly brought children from Chichawatni to engage in domestic labour in different households.
Three children including Arsalan, Rehman and Humaira, a 10-year-old girl, were taken into protective custody in the Sadiqabad neighbourhood of the garrison city.
According to sources, the bureau's hotline was alerted about the presence of three children with a union council chairman in an injured condition. At this, a rescue team arrived at the scene and took the children into protective custody.
Sources said Humaira, along with her brother Arsalan, was employed by the accused to work in the households of Bilal, Zubair, and others.
On investigation, it was found that Nazir, the prime suspect, is the leader of a gang of forced labourers, who used to bring children from Chichawatani and its adjoining areas to Rawalpindi.
The accused employed Humira and her brother, Arsalan, with Bilal and Zubair and others, who are related and live in the same house. The accused had also left his son, Rehman, in the same house. According to the bureau officials, the information obtained from the children revealed that Humaira was abused by her mistress with sticks, belts and cooking spoons and the same treatment was meted to her brother.
Rehman, the child of the accused, was also taken into protective custody and the accused Nazir was arrested, they said. According to Ali Abid Naqvi, the District Officer at CP&WB Rawalpindi, a report has been filed at the Sadiqabad police station for registration of a case against Nazir, the heads of the two households Bilal and Zubair and the lady mistress.
He said that the bureau will continue to have custody of the children and will be responsible for their care and upkeep.
CPW&B Chairperson Saira Ahmed said strict action will be taken against Nazir and the family which subjected the children to torture.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 21st, 2023.