Child Rights: Court seeks data on child labour

LAHORE: Lahore High Court on Monday asked the federal and provincial governments to submit detailed information on bonded child labour in the country. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah issued this order on Monday during the hearing of a petition filed by Human Safety Commission chairman Pir Ali Gilani. Gilani had submitted that child labour was prohibited under article 3 and 11 of the Constitution. However, he said the practice was continuing in the country with impunity. He had requested the court to issue directives for law enforcement agencies to crackdown on businesses employing children. He had also sought directives for government departments concerned to undertake a country-wide survey to determine the exact number of children employed in violation of the constitution.  On Monday, the judge observed dissatisfaction over the lack of implementation of the law against child labour. He directed the federal and provincial governments to submit data on child labour.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2015.