LAHORE - The Lahore High Court yesterday issued notice to the federal and Punjab governments in a petition seeking directions for the governments to enforce child labour laws.
Subay Khan had filed the petition and pointed out that the government had turned a blind eye to the issue of child labour and at present the kids were working as labour on many construction activities. As work on various projects including the Gulberg Signal Free Corridors and Orange Line Metro Train projects is being carried out by the government’s contractors, a large number of underage workers have been hired for menial jobs, the petitioner claimed.
He said the provisions of Employment of Children Act 1991 as well as Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004 need to be enforced strictly, which the government has failed to implement across the province.
Mr Khan requested the high court to order the government to enforce the child labour laws.
After hearing initial arguments, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan issued notices to the governments and sought replies by March 30.
KOH-I-NOOR RECOVERY CASE: The LHC has adjourned till Feb 29 the proceedings on a petition seeking directions for the federal government to take back Koh-i-Noor diamond from Queen Elizabeth-II of Britain.
The court had earlier sought assistance from the federal government on maintainability of this petition filed by Barrister Syed Javed Iqbal Jaffree who had pointed out that the jewel was cultural heritage of Punjab province and property of its citizens. He had requested the court to direct federal government to bring the diamond back to Pakistan.
Kohinoor was once the largest cut diamond in the world and 105-carat stone was presented to Queen Victoria during the British Raj.
Meanwhile, the LHC granted bail to Asmat Mahmood a pilot of Shaheen Airline facing charges of crash-landing under liquor influence.
An LHC bench ordered the pilot’s release after he furnished Rs0.5 million bail bond.
Mahmood was taken into custody by Sarwar Road police for allegedly committing negligence in crash-landing of an airline at Allama Iqbal International Airport.