Minister visits kilns to check child labour

LAHORE

Provincial Minster for Labour  and Human Resource Raja Ashfaq Sarwar paid surprise  visits to different brick kilns situated at Jia Bagga on Monday to inspect the status of  implementation of the Restriction of Employment of Children at Brick Kilns  Ordinance  2016. 

District Officer Labour Lahore Syed Hasnat Javaid and other relevant officers of the Labour Department were also present.

During his inspection of Khalid and Manzoor Brick Companies, the minister expressed displeasure over the presence of children under the age of 14 years playing at brick kilns near their working parents and families.

Raja got checked the admission status of these playing children in the nearby government schools by the DOL Lahore.

The children present at brick kilns were, however, found enrolled in the nearby Government Girls Primary School Karyal and were on leave due to their illness. He expressed satisfaction over 100 percent enrollment of children. 

Raja Ashfaq urged the parents, brick kilns owners and managers to make sure that no child under the age limit of 14 years was found even playing on the premises of the brick kilns.

They should stay at their residential quarters if on leave from school, he advised. The minister assured the parents that their children would be provided free education, books, stationery, uniforms, shoes and other educational facilities along with Rs. 1,000 stipends per month as promised by Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif. Raja directed the district administration to inspect all the brick kilns on regular basis.

Hindu Yatrees: Around 125 Hindu Yatrees will reach Pakistan next month to participate in their religious rituals to be celebrated at Katas Raj, Chakwal.

This was told by Chairman Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Siddiq-ul-Farooq while addressing a press conference at his office on Monday.

He told the media that he had held a meeting with all the stakeholders concerned to finalise the security arrangements for the visiting yatrees. 

According to him, strict measures will be taken to provide foolproof security to the Hindu devotees besides they will also be provided other best facilities including residence, medicine, food, transport, etc.  The chairman said all the yatrees would go back to India on March 11 through Wagha Border.