PESHAWAR, June 11: Society for the Protection of Rights of the Child (Sparc) on Monday urged the federal and provincial governments to properly legislate against child labour in the country, saying more than 10 million children work in different sectors, especially in automobile sector.

Addressing a news conference on Monday here at Peshawar Press Club, Sparc regional manager for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Jehanzeb Khan said it was unfortunate that Day against Child Labour was being observed across the world today (June 12) but there was no serious attention towards the issue in the third world countries, including Pakistan.

He said the developed countries overcame the issue by implementing basic human laws.

“Negligence on part of the government and parents, corporal punishment, poverty and poor law and order situation, especially in Fata, are the major factors behind child labour. After 18th constitutional amendment, child labour has become the legislative and administrative domain of the provincial governments,” he said.Mr Jehanzeb said the provincial government had passed the Child Protection Welfare Act, 2010, so it should also draft laws on child labour with consultation of human rights organisations and civil society.

“Children are being abused verbally, physical and sexually in factories, homes and streets, while many of them suffer from fatal ailments,” he said, adding that 85 per cent of child labour in the country worked in automobile sector.

The Sparc regional manager said working children were being used by militants in suicide attacks across the country.

He complained that Child Protection Units in district levels were ineffective, and urged the government to conduct proper surveys to know facts and figures about child labour for necessary action by NGOs.