Child labour is a big issue in our country. In Pakistan we can see many small children working in hotels, workshops, factories and even on streets. Instead of going to school and playing, these children are forced to work for money. The main reason behind this is poverty. Many families are poor and they cannot afford food and other basic needs. So they send their children to work. Sometimes parents also think that education is not important. This problem is destroying the future of thousands of children.

When a child works at a young age, his whole life gets affected. First, he cannot get proper education. Without education he will remain unskilled for his whole life. Second, the working conditions are very bad. Children work for 10 to 12 hours in factories with dangerous machines. They get less salary and sometimes they are also beaten. This affects both their physical health and mental health. A child’s age is for learning and growing, not for earning. If we keep ignoring this, we will have a generation that is weak and uneducated.

The government of Pakistan knows that child labour is wrong. That’s why some steps have been taken. In 1992, Pakistan made the "Employment of Children Act". According to this law, no child under 14 years can work in any factory. The government has also started free schools and  and  programs to help poor families so they don’t need to send their kids to work. NGOs and UNICEF are also working with the government to spread awareness in villages. Child helplines have also been started in big cities like Lahore and Karachi. But the problem is that these laws are not fully followed everywhere.

In my opinion, child labour should be completely finished from Pakistan. Every child has a right to education, food, and a safe childhood. If we want Pakistan to grow and develop, we have to educate our children first. An educated child will become a good doctor, engineer, or teacher in the future. But a child who works in a workshop will stay poor forever. It is the duty of the government, schools, and also us as citizens to stop this. We should report if we see any child working, and we should support poor families so they don’t feel forced.

To end child labour, we need 3 things: strong laws, good schools, and help for poor families. The government has started, but we also have to play our part. Pakistan’s future is in the hands of these children. If we give them books instead of tools, our country will become much stronger. Let’s promise that no child in Pakistan will have to work. Every child deserves a pen, not a job.