LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has approved the formation of a steering committee to eliminate child labour across the province.
CM Maryam Nawaz has issued a formal notification, confirming the launch of a comprehensive provincial initiative to tackle the issue.
The 15-member committee will be chaired by Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb, while former MNA Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha has been appointed as the co-chairman. Provincial ministers for School Education, Investment and Commerce, Industries, Social Welfare, and Small Industries Development will serve as members.
According to the notification, secretaries from the departments of Home, Labour and Human Resource, School Education, Industries, Social Welfare, Skills Development and Entrepreneurship, as well as the Chairman PITB and DIG Police have also been included in the committee.
Sources said the committee will conduct province-wide mapping to identify sectors where child labour is prevalent. Special data will be collected from industries, brick kilns, agriculture, fisheries, workshops, and auto-repair sectors. A central data bank will be established at the provincial level using AI and GIS technologies.
The committee will determine high-risk districts and sectors, develop alternatives for children engaged in forced labour, and propose immediate, mid-term, and long-term strategies for eradication. It will also design an implementation plan along with its recommendations.
The steering committee will further prepare awareness strategies for parents, teachers, and communities, and establish performance benchmarks for institutions working on child protection.
Punjab is the first province to introduce such a comprehensive framework to eliminate child labour. Officials believe the initiative will improve the province’s international ranking and support ongoing social development efforts.
