It was a hot day as usual. I left with one of my pals left for the bazaar to shop for some fruits for a peaceful fast-break in Ramzan. Heading towards the bazaar, my eyes fell upon a child, in torn and nasty clothes, begging around the streets. So, I moved ahead to ask him what forced him to beg. My body shivered as if I felt a jolt inside when I listened to a desperate story of a boy, who wished to be enrolled in school-a dream far from his eyes because he lacked the freedom. He was a slave to a man who had adopted him when he was a toddler. He is one of the out-of-school children and is engaged in labouring.
His words made me realise how common the menace had become. Forced child begging and labouring is at its peak. Child begging all over Pakistan demonstrates the worst and most common and unacceptable practices, which, instead of getting reduced, is becoming all the more enhanced with no brakes. Its side effects have been further eroding the phenomenal future of children. Dishearteningly, Balochistan, distinguished as one of Pakistan’s most source-rich provinces, is considered a beggar’s hub with 25 million people begging around and the ratio of child begging and labour is beyond estimates. These practices are hitting either the economy of the country reluctantly or the education system of Balochistan, which is already dismal in the province.
In Balochistan, one can easily find one or even more children on dumpsites collecting garbage or a child with extended hands for a little money in the main bazaar. Mostly, these children are in torn clothes. This indicates that they are tortured and sent to labouring, which is the reality, even though they carry injuries over their bodies which is an illegal act according to the constitution of Pakistan. Section number 328A, titled, Cruelty To A Child, in the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) strictly forbids one from punishing a child, who is below the age of 18. This section further states that cruelty to a child is penalized so any act that causes a physical injury to a child, has the punishment of one to three years in prison with a fine of fifty thousand rupees. It, however, demoralises to narrate that in Balochistan, the law is just for appearances and nothing else.
The constitution of Pakistan provides relief to children just in written shape.
Moreover, the constitution of Pakistan, article number 24, disallows children below the age of 14 to labour in the country and article number 11 is about the prohibition of forced labour. However, the children in Balochistan can still be observed in the working arenas. According to All Pakistan Labour Federation President Sultan Muhammad, over 15,000 underage children are working at construction sites, in coal mines, doing garbage collection, or employed in garages and automobile workshops in Balochistan. The constitution of Pakistan provides relief to children just in written shape. For, the reality stays the opposite.
A report by UNICEF narrates that out of 2.7 million children, 1.9 million children are deprived of education in Balochistan and these children can easily be found in working areas or near dumpsites.
Neither the government is concerned about this growing issue nor higher authorities; in fact, laws on children’s rights are not implemented in the province. Hence, the constitution of Pakistan is believed as a piece of paper.
Therefore, instead of building governmental schools, the government must educate the poor and needy children and should announce schemes for children towards education. This factor can provide relief to the children and vanish the huge ratio of out-of-school children. Thus, what benefits do we get from building governmental schools when there remains no student to be enrolled?
The writer is a student at Government Boys High School. He can be reached at muneebmaqsood[email protected]