Rally against child labour

Published July 30, 2002

THATTA, July 29: To achieve general consensus and lodge protest against the ever-rising graph of child labour, the Human Rights Development Institution took out a big rally here on Monday.

Led by Gul Bibi Shah Bukhari and Ashok Kumar and participated by a number of social and NGOs’ activists, the rally started from the district office of the Pakistan Baitulmaal and after marching on main thoroughfares ended near the local press club.

They were raising slogans against vested interests and were holding placards and banners.

Speaking on the occasion, Asif Qureshi, Ismail Memon, Marvi Abbasi, Javed Ghani Memon and Gul Bibi Shah Bukhari said out of 40 million children, 71 per cent, ranging from five to 14 years of age, were compelled to indulge in low-paid jobs.

They said the Community Education Action had established schools in 18 districts of the country where 1,080 children of labourers were getting education with incentives of free uniform, shoes, books and stationary, besides pocket money of Rs54 per day to each.