Sir: Child labour is a serious crime all over the world. UNICEF defines child labour as any type of work performed by children below the age of 18. There is something seriously wrong with our country, which not only fails to educate all its children but also depends on them to keep its economy afloat. The country is heading back into the dark ages with only a few lucky children receiving education. The number of child labourers in our country is about 12 million. According to statistics released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, 3.8 million children in the age group of 5 to 14 years are working in our country. Out of a total of 40 million children, 50 percent of these economically active children are in the age group of five to nine years. Even out of these 3.8 million children, 2.7 million are claimed to be working in the agricultural sector and 73 percent of them are said to be boys. The role of our government in this regard is not satisfactory. The law says that primary education is compulsory for everyone but we all know that actions speak louder than words. The government should take notice of child labour and take strict action against those responsible so that the future of Pakistan becomes safe. MUHAMMAD SALIK Karachi