June 15, 2006	Thursday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 18, 1427

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LAHORE, June 14: Pakistan Workers Federation president Talib Nawaz has said child labour could not be eliminated without eradication of poverty and ignorance.

At a meeting held in connection with the International Day for Abolition of Child Labour at Labour Hall here on Wednesday, Mr Nawaz said poverty compelled the parents to push their wards into the menace with a view to supplementing the family income. Such parents, being often illiterate, were not aware of the importance of education, he added.

Federation Deputy Secretary-General Osama Tariq said the rising inflation rate was forcing an increasing number of the poor to send their children to work as they could not support their families with their meagre incomes.

PWF provincial head Nasim Iqbal said child labour could not be eliminated without increasing employment and training opportunities for the working class and making parents and employers aware of its drawbacks.

The laws prohibiting employment of children also required to be enforced effectively, he said.