Haroon Siraj
\nSWAT
\nDespite a statutory ban on employing children under 18 in hazardous occupations, hundreds of minors in Swat continue to work in mines, welding shops, machinery units, brick kilns and auto-workshops, in clear violation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2015.
\nThe law prohibits the engagement of under-18 children in hazardous labour, yet in Mingora and its surrounding areas young boys can be seen working with heavy machinery, operating tools, and even participating in excavation activities at emerald mines.
\nWhile the provincial government continues to allocate substantial funds for child rights and protection initiatives, the on-ground situation paints a different picture. State institutions and their officers enjoy perks and privileges, but the outcomes remain far below expectations. A significant number of children are still engaged in hazardous labour across small industries, auto-workshops and market establishments in Swat.
\nAccording to the KP Child Labour Survey 2022 conducted by the Labour Department, the incidence of child labour in Swat stands at 8.9%, compared to 9.0% across the province among children aged 5\u201317. The report estimates that out of KP\u2019s 8.28 million children aged 5\u201317, around 922,314 are working children, of whom 745,165 fall under the category of child labour.
\nDespite these alarming figures, the provincial government claims to have invested heavily in child-protection mechanisms, including the establishment of a Child Protection Unit (CPU) in Swat in collaboration with UNICEF. However, the unit\u2019s visibility, outreach, and impact remain limited. Local residents and civil society activists say they have yet to see effective interventions or sustained follow-up in cases of child rights violations.
\nUnofficial estimates suggest that thousands of children across Swat district are engaged in hazardous occupations. Poverty remains a driving factor, compelling children to work in auto-workshops, emerald mines and other labour-intensive sectors to support their families.<\/p>\n
Despite repeated calls from activists, no concrete action has yet been taken by the district administration, provincial authorities or the CPU to shift these children from hazardous work to classrooms.
\nThe situation is further complicated by the district\u2019s high rate of out-of-school children. According to the Digital Population Census 2022, around 294,320 children aged 5\u201316 in Swat are out of school \u2014 114,918 boys and 179,386 girls reflecting a significant gender disparity.
\nWhen contacted for an official response regarding actions taken against under-18 child labour and steps being implemented to curb the practice, Deputy Commissioner Swat Saleem Jan Marwat and Child Protection Officer Ihsan Khan did not provide comments till the filing of this report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Haroon Siraj SWAT Despite a statutory ban on employing children under 18 in hazardous occupations, hundreds of minors in Swat continue to work in mines, welding shops, machinery units, brick kilns and auto-workshops, in clear violation of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prohibition of Employment of Children Act, 2015. The law prohibits the engagement of under-18 children […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-515532","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n