QUETTA: Unicef Child Protection chief Sarah Coleman has criticised the government for not making laws to ensure that children are not abused by those involved in drug trafficking, child trade, etc.

She expressed these views at “Consultation on Draft Bill on Balochistan Prohibi­tion of Employment of Children Act 2015 on Tuesday.

At the event organised by the Labour and Manpower Department, she said: “The Pakistan government should take effective measures to stop use of children in... drug trafficking, sale of children and their sexual exploitation.”

Ms Coleman said that though Pakistan is a signatory to the UN Convention, CRC and Saarc Convention to protect rights of children, it had not yet implemented these at the federal and provincial levels.

Director Labour Welfare Saeed Ahmed Sarpara said that existing law did not deal with the use of children in pornography and drug trafficking. However, penalties had been suggested in the proposed bill on Employment of Children Act 2015.

According to the suggestion, “the use, procuring or offering of a child (or adolescent) for prostitution, for the production of pornography or for the pornography performance, the use, procuring or offering a child (or adolescent) for illicit activities, in particular for the production and trafficking of drugs, the fine may extend to ten hundred thousand rupees (but not less than two hundred thousand rupees) and the imprisonment may extend to fifteen years (but not less than five years).”

He said the proposed law also suggested that children between 14 and 18 years of age would be allowed to work to support their families with the condition that their occupation shall not be hazardous.

Mr Sarpara said children working at printing presses at night were found suffering from exposure to poisonous chemicals.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play