Lahore: Provincial Minister for Labour and Human Resource, Raja Ashfaq Sarwer said that the Bureau of Statistics (BOS) has collected authentic figures of child laborers in working in auto-workshops, service stations, hotels and restaurants of the 10 districts.
While presiding over a meeting on child labour in Lahore on Thursday, Ashfaq said that the data was collected from Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Hafizabad, Khanewal, Multan, Okara, Rahimyar Khan, Gujranwala and Sheikhupura, where 15566 children under the age of 14 years were working at workshops, 4683 at hotels and restaurants whereas 289 children at petrol pumps and service stations, said a press release issued on Thursday.
The labor minister expressed indignation over poor performance of the Director Labour Headquarter for not conducting regular inspections of commercial and industrial units by district labour officers and inspectors. He directed the authorities to take immediate action against persons engaging children in labour work under Shops and Establishment Ordinance 1969 and Factories Act 1936.
The minister said that Draft Act Restrictions of Employment of Children Act 2016 will soon be approved by the provincial cabinet. He directed the BOS authorities to complete the survey of remaining 26 districts regarding child labour.
He said that these children will be enrolled in government schools and provided stipend, free education along with uniform, books, stationery, shoes and other education facilities in collaboration with Literacy and School Education Department.
