By Uzma Zafar
ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Law Shahadat Awan on Wednesday informed the National Assembly that the government sealed 36 brick kilns in the Islamabad capital territory (ICT) on violation of child labour laws besides registering cases against the violators.
Replying to various supplementary questions during Question Hour, the minister said that although labour welfare including labour legislation was now a devolved subject after 18th constitutional amendments but currently various laws enforced to stop child labour. He said the laws which were enforced in ICT included the Factories Act, 1934, the Shops and establishments Ordinance, 1969, the Employment of Children Act, 1991, Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1992 and Employment of Children Rules, 1995.
Similarly, Punjab Prohibition of Child Labour at Brick Kilns Act 2016, the Punjab Restriction on Employment Children Act, 2016, the Prevention of Trafficking in persons Act, 2018, the Sindh Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2017, the Sindh Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 2015, the Sindh Factories Act, 2015, the Sindh Commercial Establishment Act, 2015, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Employment of Children Rules, 2015 and Balochistan Employment of Children (Prohibition Regulation) Act, 2021 were enforced in the provinces, he said.
The minister said inspection teams at provincial level regularly conducted raids and not only registered cases but also imposed fine against the violators of laws.
