PHC issues notice to KP govt over child labour

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday issued a notice to the provincial government and Child Protection Commission, directing them to explain why the laws related to child labour were not being implemented.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Ikramullah Khan issued the notice in a writ petition filed by a Peshawar-based lawyer Muhammad Khursheed Khan. During hearing, the lawyer submitted that child labour was a sensitive issue and the provincial government was not giving any attention to it.

He submitted that the provincial government had enacted the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare Act, 2010, and later also established the Child Protection Commission, but there had been no implementation of the Act in the province.

He also submitted that the provincial government had established Child Welfare and Protection Commission in 2010, but the issue was deteriorating. The chief justice observed that before summoning officials in the case, at first comments will be sought to explain why they did not fulfil their obligations to implement child labour laws in the province. The bench fixed March 21 for next hearing of the case.

The petitioner, who also remained deputy attorney general, submitted that the alleged torture case of a minor maid named Tayyaba, working in the house of additional district and sessions judge, Islamabad, compelled him to take the child labour issue to the higher court and ensure implementation of the child labour laws.

The petitioner submitted that Tayyaba was lucky one that the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the incident and she would get justice, but what would be the future of 25 million children of the country working as domestic labour in the houses in miserable conditions.