Daily Times

Pakistan has been facing the challenge of child labour for years, and children in Pakistan continue to be engaged in various forms of child labour at a very tender age, especially in large cities.

During a week-long visit in Karachi, I went to the nearby eateries to have breakfast with my friends, and both times we were served by children who could not have been more than 10 years of age. Dismayed, I saw the children face abuse and violence over petty things, but they seemed to be tolerating everything for the sake of making a living.

During the same visit, once my friend and I went to a motorcycle repair shop to have my friend’s motorcycle repaired, and the apprentice who fixed the motorcycle was a child aged probably nine years. After payment, my friend asked the apprentice, “Why did you feel the need to join the labour force at this young age? He replied, “I detest having to work as a mechanic at this age but my father who works as a peon in a private school has forced me into labour to supplement the family’s meager income. I come early in the morning and go home at 6pm daily. I wish I could have been studying at school. I am the oldest in siblings, and none of us have ever been to school.”

These stories may not come as a surprise to anyone living in Pakistan; Pakistan has been ranked third in the world with the highest prevalence of child and forced labour. As per the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the overall number of child labourers reduced worldwide from 200 million in 2000 to 168 million in 2014. However, there is no evidence of decline in the number of child labourers in Pakistan. The last National Child Labour Survey conducted in 1996 estimated that there were about 3.3 million child labourers in Pakistan. The ILO reported in a 2012 survey that 12.5 million children are involved in child labour. Pakistan lacks a fresh and extensive child-labour survey, the non-availability of which is a sign of government’s reluctance to rid the country of the menace of child labour

It is rather unfortunate that government has turned a blind eye to children working in garages, hotels, agriculture, carpet-making and cement industry, and to children who been forced into begging, drug trafficking, prostitution, robbery, armed conflict and other illicit activities. All of these affect physical, emotional or physical well-being of children or lead them to death. According to the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), from January 2010 to December 2014, 47 cases of torture on child domestic workers were reported, including 24 deaths.

While addressing the students of the social work department of the Karachi University, Tahir Mehmood, a social welfare officer of the Child Protection Unit (CPU) in Karachi said, “Illegal practice of employing children continue to make lives of children a living hell, and bringing an end to this practice is the need of the hour.” He further added, “Last year, a girl who looked no older than 12 years was sold off by her parents to a Sindhi couple in Karachi. Afterwards, the little girl was forced to work in slave-like conditions in the new house, and was treated like an animal. She was released from their captivity some months ago when she valiantly sought help from the CPU officials.” Forced by poverty many parents resort to offering their offspring for sale.

The news of unceasing kidnapping of children in different parts of Pakistan is a cause of worry for Pakistan, and has sowed panic among parents and children. Children are kidnapped for many repugnant reasons, including for sale. After illegally purchasing children, buyers often force them into illicit activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution, beggary and domestic labour. Many times, such children do not receive any payment, and get only a little food and a place to sleep.

After passing laws and signing international conventions with regard to promoting and protecting child rights, government considers itself absolved of responsibility without focusing on implementation. For instance, to promote and protect child rights, government of Pakistan has adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Child in 1990, and ratified several ILO conventions besides ratifying the Optional Protocol on the Sale of Children. Furthermore, under Article 11(2) of the Constitution of Pakistan 1973, all forms of forced labour and trafficking of human beings are prohibited. Sub-article 11 (3) says: “Employment of children below the age of 14 years in any factory, mine and any other hazardous employment is prohibited.” Article 25-A of the Constitution guarantees free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of five and 16.

Anyone with common sense can understand that Pakistan is in need of implementation of laws and international conventions. Better late than never, government should realise the pain and suffering of hapless children, and protect them from falling victim to scourges of child labour.

Federal and provincial governments should come forward and take serious steps for elimination of child labour. Recently, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken steps against brick kiln workers of Punjab, and therefore, there has been a huge decline in numbers of child brick kiln workers in the province. However, these steps should not only be confined to eradication of child labour in brick kilns.

The practice of child labour is rooted in poverty. Poverty forces parents to push their children into labour at an age when they should be studying in school.

The writer is a teacher and a Turbat-based social worker. He can be reached at Monis.ali.baloch@gmail.com