Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) government is determined to eliminate child labour from Punjab. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, practical steps have been taken for eliminating child labour from the province. After brick kilns, child labour will be eliminated from hotels, petrol pumps and workshops as well, he added.
He said that child labour is a great crime and for elimination of this evil we will have to move forward as a society and play our role in ending it.
Punjab government has given an exemplary package for equipping the children working at brick kilns with education under which, these children will serve the country and the nation after becoming scientists, engineers and doctors, he added.
The chief minister announced that a stipend of Rs 1000 per month will be given to the girl students of class 6th in all government schools of the province in upcoming budget.
He expressed these views while addressing a ceremony held in connection with World Day against Child Labour in Model Town on Sunday. Provincial Minister for Labour Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Country Director International Labour Organisation Ingrid Christensen and Pakistan Workers Federation Chaudhry Naseem Iqbal also spoke on the occasion.
The chief minister said that today World Day against Child Labour is being observed throughout the word and added that this day is also celebrated in Pakistan and the Punjab province. He said that Punjab government has not only raised slogans for elimination of child labour from the province but also taken revolutionary steps.
He said that children involved in child labour are deprived of education for the last 69 years and that no one will now be allowed to harm the future of these children. Shehbaz Sharif said that strict punishment will be awarded to brick kiln owners found involved in child labour at brick kilns.
He said that no one will be allowed to commit cruelty against the children, adding that Punjab government is providing a stipend of one thousand rupees per month to the children working at brick kilns besides they are being provided free of cost books, uniform, shoes and other educational facilities.
The chief minister said that Punjab government is providing these facilities to the children of several families. He said that Punjab government has announced a solid policy for making the future of children of the nation bright.
Referring to a raid at brick kiln during his visit to Kasur, Shehbaz Sharif said the labourers working at brick kilns have informed that no medical or first aid facility is available for them. He requested brick kiln owners to voluntarily provide medical facilities to the workers. He said that earning profit is right of brick kiln owners but provision of basic facilities to labourers is also their responsibility.
The chief minister said that child labour has been eliminated from brick kilns to a large extent, however, in case of any violation, the brick kiln owner and management will face strict punishment. He said that the time has come to eliminate child labour from Pakistan and expressed the hope that child labour will be eliminated forever and children working at brick kilns will be equipped with education and become great builders of the nation.
Shehbaz Sharif said that International Labour Organisation (ILO) should extend cooperation to Punjab government for elimination of child labour. He said that we do not need financial assistance but want to benefit from the expertise and experience of the ILO.
The chief minister thanked Provincial Minister for Labour Raja Ashfaq Sarwar, Secretary Labour and their entire team and appreciated them for their hard work and expressed the hope that child labour will soon be eliminated from brick kilns. He said that we will have to move ahead with the same spirit and help people working at other places too. This is a form of worship and will be rewarded. We are determined to eliminate child labour, he said, and expressed the hope that the government will be able to ensure bright future for the children of the nation. Provincial Minister Begum Zakia Shahnawaz, MPA Saba Sadiq, Chief Secretary, Labour leader Khursheed Ahmed, brick kiln owners and children studying in schools who were earlier working at brick kilns were present on the occasion.
