Islamabad-Islamabad Capital Territory administration is in process of codifying four new laws as part of measures to control child labour in the federal capital, sources said.
The laws including draft Employment and Services Condition Act, draft Occupational Safety and Health Act, draft Trade Union Registration and Industrial Relations Act and draft Workers Social Security, Welfare and Compensation Act are being codified with the help of International Labour Organisation (ILO), Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development and Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan.
Official sources on Monday said that drafts of two laws, Employment and Services Conditions Act and Occupational Safety and Health Act, have been approved by Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development and the same were forwarded to Ministry of Interior for onwards submission to the National Assembly for legislation.
The next meeting will be held soon in the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to finalise other two draft laws, Trade Union Registration and Industrial Relations Act and Workers Social Security, Welfare and Compensation Act, as per international labour standards.
The sources said that a separate court has also been constituted in the ICT administration for speedy trial of labour challans while a vigilance committee is already working under supervision of deputy commissioner, Islamabad to protect child labour in brick kilns.
A sub-committee was also constituted for survey of child and bonded labour in ICT, the sources said, adding that four teams, one labour officer and three Labour Inspectors of the Labour Welfare Department have been constituted for inspection under various labour laws including child labour.
The teams regularly visit their respective areas and prompt action is taken against the violators, they said.
It merits mentioning here that the existing laws do not cover domestic workers. Therefore, the ICT administration cannot inspect children working in houses. However, four separate bills have been placed before the Parliament on child protection and domestic workers.
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