Call to make Sindh Child Protection Authority effective.

KARACHI -- At an online session held on Saturday, rights activists called upon the federal and provincial governments to remove anomalies in children`s age-limit mentioned in different laws, make child labour a cognizable offence and set up rehabilitation centres for children.

In the case of Sindh, it was pointed out that lack of official interest had rendered the Sindh Child Protection Authority ineffective. Part of its budget had already lapsed while the government was yet to set up child protection units at the district level as envisioned in the 2013 law.

The discussion titled `Debate onelimination of all forms of child labour` was organised by Society for Protection of Rights of the Child (Sparc).

Regretting growing cases of child abuse, MNA Riaz Fatyana said people generally didn`t show seriousness towards children working as domestic help.

`They see no harm in a sevenyear-old maid babysitting a threeyear-old child of her employer or looking after the pets. However, we must realise that these jobs are not meant for children who should only have bool(s and toys in their hands at this age,` he observed.

Even if children survived physical and sexual violence, the emotional stress they went through was enough to scar their lives forever, he added.

Kashif Mirza of Sparc said accurate data on the actual number of child labourers in Pakistan didn`t exist. Children were forced to work in completely unregulated conditions without adequate food, proper wages and rest...