Former camel jockeys to get $1,000 each

SC orders distribution of cheques worth $1000 provided by UAE govt among children being used for camel races.

FAISALABAD: On the orders of the Supreme Court, the child protection and welfare bureau has begun distributing cheques worth $1000 provided by the UAE government among the children who were being used in camel races.

District officer (DO) child protection bureau Faisal Umar Daraz said that five children from Faisalabad and four children from Pakpattan will be provided cheques by the end of the week. The children from Faisalabad include Aslam and Nawaz residents of Bilal Park, Yasin resident of Ghulam Muhammad Abad Chak-279, Yameen resident of Chak-54 and Sajid Bashir resident of Chak-439. The children from Pakpattan include Arshad resident of chak-571 Arifwala, Waqas Ahmed resident of Chak-51, Hasan Raza resident of Chak-15, Yasin resident of Chak-40. The parents of children formerly employed as camel jockeys have been asked to contact the child protection bureau at 041-8879185:6.

According to a spokesperson at the bureau, most of the children on the list for funds were employed in camel races from a very young age, some were six-years-old. “Many of these children have been stripped of their childhood and stayed in the business out of desperation for several years,” he said, adding that the UAE government had been very generous in its donations to help the children rebuild their lives. “We are trying to help these children start afresh. They will be admitted to school and will be able to rebuild their lives,” the spokesperson said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2010.