An important and crucial issue facing our country right now, which is often not discussed, is that of child labour, or in other words, violence carried out against young and innocent children who are stolen and kidnapped from their poor families. They are promised food, shelter, and education but are instead forced to work in factories and other places, often in inhumane conditions.
These perpetrators deceive the parents of these children, claiming they will take care of them, but instead, they are sold into different forms of trafficking.
This is a significant social issue that urgently needs attention because the number of children affected by this is rising as we speak. In Western countries, this is considered a crime and is intolerable. However, in Pakistan, those who engage in this activity often go unpunished, and justice is rarely served.
While laws have been made on paper to address this issue, they are not effectively implemented or put into practice, creating a sad and alarming situation. Some children are sold into prostitution or as child brides to China. In other cases, children are stolen from their families and sold into human trafficking, never to be seen again by their parents. The worst part is that some children are stolen and sold as camel jockeys to Gulf countries such as the United Arab Emirates.
Human rights organizations have been fighting to put an end to this for years, but unfortunately, the problem persists, and the numbers continue to increase. It is imperative to take action on this issue by raising awareness and establishing hotlines for people to report the abuse they are witnessing. This will help ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
I have read somewhere that there is a hotline established by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and I believe this is a positive development. We should strive to bring an end to this madness in our country so that young and innocent children can be freed from such exploitation.
This crime against humanity needs to stop as soon as possible and is not acceptable in any democratic country or society.
DANIAL TANVIR,
Islamabad.