LAHORE: Civil society organisations, academic institutions and the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) called on the Punjab government to adopt a comprehensive and sustainable child labour eradication strategy to uphold children’s rights and protect them from economic exploitation.

This call to action was made during the Provincial Policy Dialogue on “Child Labour in Punjab: Challenges, Gaps, and the Path Forward”, at Forman Christian College University.

Iftikhar Mubarik, executive director of Search for Justice, said that according to the most recent population census, Punjab is home to 56.3 million children under the age of 18, constituting nearly 50pc of Pakistan’s total child population.

He cited findings from the Punjab Child Labour Survey (2019–20), which indicate that 16.9pc of children aged 5-17 and 13.4pc of those aged 5-14 are engaged in child labour across the province. Alarmingly, 47.8pc of working children aged 10-14 are involved in hazardous occupations, putting them at risk of serious physical and psychological harm.

Mr Mubarik called for a comprehensive legislative overhaul to harmonise the definition of a child across all provincial laws, enabling consistent and effective enforcement.

He also urged the activation of the Provincial Child Labour Committee under section 4 of the Punjab Restriction on Employment of Children Act, along with the notification of its rules under Section 21.

Additionally, he recommended that district child protection committees be formally notified in line with the Punjab government’s commitment under the Punjab Child Protection Policy, with the deputy commissioner serving as chair.

This, he emphasised, would ensure that locally identified child protection issues are addressed effectively with the support and coordination of local administrative structures.

Dr Saeed Shafqat, director of the Centre for Public Policy and Governance at FC College, emphasised the need for sustainable and long-term policy responses to effectively combat child labour in Punjab.

He highlighted that such measures must be supported by targeted, child-focused social protection programmes that address the root causes — particularly poverty and limited access to education.

Dr Shafqat also underscored the importance of public awareness and multisectoral collaboration, involving government, civil society, academia, and the private sector, to develop a holistic and impactful response.

Additionally, he called for strategic coordination between academic institutions and other stakeholders to ensure that research, policy, and implementation efforts are aligned and evidence-driven.

Mr Tauseef Dilshad Khatana, additional secretary, Labour & Human Resource Department, government of Punjab, shared that the provincial government is preparing to introduce a comprehensive labour code in the Punjab Assembly.

This legislation will consolidate and modernise existing labour laws to improve clarity and enforcement.

He also stated that the department has proposed aligning the minimum age for employment with the compulsory schooling age of 16, to help ensure children remain in education.

Published in Dawn, June 25th, 2025