LAHORE: The Punjab Labour Department has filed 98 cases against employers of 121 children who were working at shops, workshops and roadside hotels among other businesses in violation of the Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children Act 2016.

Speaking to Dawn, Labour Department Director Daud Abdullah said since Dec 4, 2018 they had started an awareness campaign where businesses were warned that no young person between the ages of five to 16 years must be seen working.

“They were first given warnings and a drive against child labour was launched after about a week. We received tip-offs and then raided these places for inspection. We found several places where children were employed and working under gruelling conditions,” he said.

Mr Abdullah said his department raided around 926 places across Punjab and registered around 98 first information reports (FIRs) against employers of children with police stations. He said 15 cases out of 98 were filed in Lahore.

Secretary Labour Sara Aslam said labour inspectors had already been directed to take action against those involved in child labour. The drive was launched over a span of a little over a week. However, the children were sent back home to their families as the government could not take them in its own custody.

Only those children who are homeless and without families and fall under the Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children’s Act will be sent to the Child Protection Bureau.

The data of such children as had families had been received by the department, said Mr Abdullah and added that the social mobilizers in Punjab would keep visiting these families to persuade them to send their children to school instead of work.

Under the law, he said, the punishment for employing a child was a fine of Rs50,000 and/or jail for at least seven days or maximum three months.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2018