Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has formed a 15-member steering committee to eliminate child labor in the province. Senior provincial minister Maryam Aurangzeb will chair the committee, with former MNA Mohsin Shah Nawaz Ranjha as co-chair. The move comes as part of a broader strategy to combat forced labor among children.
The committee includes provincial ministers for school education, commerce, industry, social welfare, and skill development, along with secretaries of key departments. It also has representatives from police, PTI-B, and other relevant provincial offices to ensure cross-department coordination.
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Officials said the committee will map all sectors where child labor exists, including brick kilns, agriculture, fisheries, workshops, and auto repair shops. A provincial central databank linked with AI and GIS will collect and analyze relevant information to target interventions.
The committee will identify districts and industries most affected by child labor and propose alternative solutions for children involved. It will develop short-, medium-, and long-term strategies and an implementation roadmap to eradicate forced labor.
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In addition, the committee will design public awareness campaigns involving parents, teachers, and communities. Punjab becomes the first province in Pakistan to take comprehensive measures against child labor, which is expected to improve its global ranking in child welfare indicators.