Law Being Enacted To Check Employment Of Children Under 15, Lahore High Court Told

The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed on Thursday that employment of children below 15 years of age as domestic workers would be prohibited under the proposed Punjab Domestic Workers Bill 2018.

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Dec, 2018 ) :The Lahore High Court (LHC) was informed on Thursday that employment of children below 15 years of age as domestic workers would be prohibited under the proposed Punjab Domestic Workers Bill 2018.

A provincial law officer made the statement before Justice Jawad Hassan, who was hearing a petition, filed by one Subay Khan, questioning the failure of the authorities concerned to implement the rights of domestic workers.

The law officer presented a draft of the Punjab Domestic Workers Bill 2018 and submitted that the bill had been tabled in the provincial assembly.

He said that as per proposed bill, domestic workers' shifts would be limited to eight hours, whereas the wages of the domestic workers would be notified by the Punjab government at par with workers working in commercial establishments. He submitted that there would be dispute resolution committees in every district and labour courts as well.

At this, the court allowed the petition and observed that finally the exploitation of domestic workers including children would be brought to an end by the bill.

The court also observed that after the legislation, Pakistan would be included among few countries where domestic workers were regulated under a law.

The court also appreciated the efforts of amicus curiae, Ahmad Pansota and Sahar Umer, and petitioner's counsel Sheraz Zaka advocate, and directed the government to legislate expeditiously.

Earlier, Advocate Shiraz Zaka, on behalf of the petitioner, argued that former LHC chief justice directed the government to frame a policy on the wages of domestic workers, in 2015.

He argued that three years had passed and the government had taken no step to frame the policy.

Sheraz Zaka argued that when workers in commercial establishment are being regulated under Punjab Industrial Relations Act 2010, then there must also be a law for domestic workers. Sheraz Zaka argued that domestic workers are being discriminated against and subjected to torture.