LAHORE - The Lahore High Court yesterday directed Punjab chief secretary and labour secretary to devise a policy for domestic workers.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah passed the order on the petition filed by Sheraz Zaka. The lawyer-petitioner submitted that there was no policy, regulation for children working as domestic workers despite that Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children Act 2016.

He quoted recent case of torture on a minor girl, working as a maid in a judge’s house, taken up by the apex court and argued that child labor was becoming a threatening challenge for the society.

“Children can not be employed as domestic workers under the law,” the counsel maintained. Children under the age of fourteen were being hired by people for their household working and were forced to do hours-long labour which was unlawful, the counsel told the court.

He also quoted judgements of the apex court saying that international laws could be relied upon to formulate a policy, though Pakistan had not ratified the domestic workers convention.

On behalf of the provincial government, a law officer opposed the arguments and held that the petition was not maintainable. He argued the petitoner had no locus standi to file the plea; therefore, it should be set aside.

After hearing both sides, the CJ directed the Punjab chief secretary and labor secretary to make policy for domestic workers and disposed of the petition.