Stop torturing children: Sajal Aly speaks up against child labour, abuse

Actor's message was supported by Nadia Jamil

In the wake of a shocking incident involving the alleged brutal torture of a 14-year-old domestic worker by the wife of Judge Asim Hafeez in the federal capital of Pakistan, acclaimed actor Sajal Aly has taken a strong stance against child labour and abuse.

In a heartfelt video message, the Kuch Ankahi actor pleaded with the public to stop subjecting small children to forced labour and torture, emphasising that child labour is not only wrong but also illegal.

"For the love of God, please stop torturing small children and making them work or perform labour. It is wrong. Child labour is wrong. It is illegal," Aly passionately expressed in her video message. She went on to urge people to be proactive in reporting any instances of child labour or abuse they come across. "If any of you see a small child working at [someone's] home or outside, or see them being tortured, report it. Immediately. Report it to the local authorities," she urged.

Aly stressed the importance of collective action to pressure authorities into taking swift action to protect vulnerable children. "This is not their age to be doing labour. This is their age to be studying, playing," she asserted, highlighting the rights of children to a safe and nurturing environment.

Her video message was shared by senior actor Nadia Jamil, who added her voice to the call for an end to child exploitation and abuse. Jamil emphasised in her tweet that child labour often goes unnoticed, leaving these innocent children without access to education or a chance to lead a normal childhood.

"The problem is we often don't know a child is being kept as a servant/slave in a house, so there is no way to know if the child is okay, are they providing him/her with an education?" Jamil wrote in her tweet.

Describing the harrowing experiences many child domestic workers face, Jamil further stated, "Often these tiny children are made to carry rich babies, clean rich people's homes, and serve them. They are beaten, starved, and deprived of an education! An education is their constitutional right and their religious right."

Jamil urged everyone to join the cause and report cases of child labour and exploitation, as it is crucial to protect the rights and well-being of these vulnerable children. She commended Aly for using her platform to raise awareness and called on other celebrities and individuals to follow suit.

The beautiful @Iamsajalali has a message for all of us.

I want to thank her from the heart because she is the only celebrity friend I turned to, to ask for a short video asking the banning of child domestic labour, who responded immediately and recorded this message.

If all… pic.twitter.com/eKUfULeYwq

— Nadia Jamil (@NJLahori) July 27, 2023

With the power of influential voices like Aly and Jamil speaking out against child labour and abuse, there is hope for greater awareness and collective efforts to protect the rights and dignity of children in Pakistan.

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