The last year of my teaching career in Pakistan really proved to be hectic. The tiring routine undoubtedly made me exhausted all the time. One summer evening, I had a chance to visit a local stationary shop to get a perfect binding of my countless photocopied notes. The front side of the shop presented a shocking scene. A poor little child, no older than eight, dressed up in ragged clothes, was busy binding books. To my amazement, he seemed to be a master of this art. As soon as I approached him, my usual interview started. "Do you come here straight from the school or take a nap in the afternoon?” was the first attack of my rapid fire round the little guy whose name was Bilal. "Nahi baji! Hum tu do saal se yahin he. Hum tu un kitabon ki jild tayar karta he jo hum kabhi nahi parh sakta" (No sister! I have been working here for the last two years. I bind the books I can never read), was his confident but painful immediate reply. "How much are you being paid for this?" was my next question, at the peak of disappointment. "Dus rupay rozana baji!” (Ten bucks daily sister!), he replied while busy, thus revealing the bitter reality of this world: child labour! The pain of his heart depicted in his moist eyes. When I plunged into them, my heart sank into the depth of his grief… Alas! I could do nothing to help but offer that poor innocent boy evening tuitions at home.

Unfortunately he is not alone. These unidentified and unpolished gems can be found anywhere in the third world zones. Especially countries like India, Pakistan and many other African ones are crushing their own future and economic stability in the grinding machine called child labour. The worst part is that governments keep their eyes closed despite being aware of this bitter truth.

Pakistan is in the top ten countries where socio-economic progress has been immensely devastated due to the long lasting effects of child labour. In Pakistan, child labour is increasing day by day at an alarming rate. This is because it has now become a socially accepted crime countrywide. The figures of child labour in this country are about to hit 50 millions, which makes 10% of the world’s child labour.

Many factors give birth to child labour, but the basic driving forces due to which innocent children are dragged into this socio-economic crime are poverty, insufficient earnings of the head of the family, parental illiteracy, increasing population, inability of the government to enforce appropriate laws and many more. People do not have sufficient money to manage their monthly expenses. They have to introduce their children at an early age into earning livelihood rather than gaining education. Sometimes the head of the family is disabled. As a result children are sent to fields, carpet weaving factories, automobile workshops, hotels etc. to forcefully grab the opportunity of earning money with their innocent little hands. They are forced to suffer the tension coming from the financial matters in their homes and not to enjoy the charm of going to school.

Once, during my university projects, I had a chance to interview a family whose all three children were forced into child labour. The parents wanted to have them educated but they were living from hand to mouth, as the father had lost one leg accidentally during his factory job: it was impossible to bear the expenses of his treatment without sending the children to work. The factory management did not even bother to compensate for that as there is no concept of insurance for factory workers in Pakistan. Despite the 27-year service of the father, not even a single cent was handed over to the family to bear medical expenses. As a result, children had to sacrifice their basic right to education. Unfortunately the youngest among them was just five and the eldest was eight. On the other hand, the government is least bothered regarding the enforcement of child labour laws, which has resulted in the acceptance of this crime on a large scale: it is no more considered as injustice. But those innocent children’s shoulders should carry school bags rather than the responsibilities of their families at such an early age. Parents themselves are illiterate and do not know the importance of education for their children, which adds to the seriousness and intensity of this neglected crime. They just think in the short run and prioritize the satisfaction of the basic needs of their family. Education for them is a luxury and not a necessity!

National management and related organizations should take necessary measures to control this crime. They should ensure the awareness of the importance of education in parents whose children are deprived of the right to education in their school age. Economic policies should be revised to ensure the equal distribution of wealth among all citizens. Education should be made compulsory and free of cost for the poor children incapable of paying heavy fees. Child labour laws should be strictly enforced to minimize the destructive effects of this evil, so that every Bilal might have hope instead of tears and helplessness in his eyes.