TAXILA: The district administration of Attock has intensified its crackdown on child labour, registering seven First Information Reports (FIRs) in recent weeks during inspections carried out across markets and industrial workshops, official data revealed on Friday.

According to Labour Welfare Department records, the crackdown is part of the provincial government’s renewed drive to eliminate child exploitation and ensure that minors remain in school rather than in hazardous workplaces.

Officials said the campaign has been launched under the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who has instructed all districts to “ensure zero tolerance” for underage labour.

A joint team comprising officers from the Labour Welfare Department, Assistant Commissioner (AC) Attock Anza Abbasi, and the Early Morning School Programme administration inspected auto workshops, tyre-repair points, small industrial units and commercial centres across the district.

“Employing children below the age of 15 is strictly illegal and punishable under labour laws,” AC Anza Abbasi told newsmen. She said the teams warned business owners that the government would not hesitate to take legal action against violators.

“We have made it clear that under no circumstances can children be engaged in hazardous, risky or heavy work. Enforcement will be uncompromising,” she added.

Officials said that while children under 15 cannot be employed under any condition, assigning hazardous tasks to adolescents aged 15 to 18 years is also a serious offence. The assistant director of Labour Welfare Attock, said the department is committed to strict enforcement.

“Assigning hazardous, risky or heavy work to children aged 15 to 18 is equally punishable,” he told newsmen. “Immediate action will be taken against any such violation, and our inspections will continue without pause.”

Labour officers confirmed that the seven FIRs were registered after minors were found performing dangerous mechanical, welding and industrial tasks that pose high safety risks.

Data from labour and health departments highlight the profound impact of child labour on affected children, including respiratory issues due to continued exposure to fumes and dust, musculoskeletal problems from heavy lifting, psychological stress from workplace pressure, injuries and burns and educational loss leading to long-term social and economic disadvantage.

Most children identified during inspections had dropped out of school due to financial pressures on their families.

“Child labour deprives children of education, destroys their childhood and exposes them to lifelong health problems,” said a senior Labour Welfare officer.

“We are duty-bound to protect them, and enforcement will only intensify.”

In an attempt to balance economic realities with education, the provincial government has introduced a two-hour Early Morning School system for working children above 15.

The programme aims to enable adolescents engaged in non-hazardous work to continue their basic education. Officials said dozens of children identified during inspections were enrolled in the initiative.

“Education is the only sustainable solution,” an official from the programme said. “We are reaching out to families, counselling them and ensuring that no child is forced into unsuitable work.”

District administration officials said the campaign will continue throughout the winter season, with surprise checks planned in major bazaars, industrial clusters and roadside businesses. Authorities said the goal is not only to prosecute violators but also to rehabilitate affected children through school enrolment, skills programmes and social support schemes.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2025