Islamabad: The Institute for Social Justice (ISJ) said that 2013 was another tough year for bonded labourers mainly in agriculture and brick kiln sectors in Sindh and Punjab. However, few of them were released and rescued by the police on the directions of the courts.
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Pakistan: Rescued & released bonded labourers in 2013 |
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|
|
Men |
Women |
Children |
Total |
|
Sindh |
345 |
264 |
651 |
1260 |
|
Punjab |
152 |
153 |
272 |
577 |
|
KP |
5 |
8 |
21 |
34 |
|
Balochistan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
502 |
425 |
944 |
1871 |
|
Source: Media Reports gathered by the ISJ |
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According to the data collected by the ISJ, in 2013, 1871 bonded including 425 women and 944 children were released on the directions of courts by the police. It includes 32 those children who were directly rescued by the police and FIRs (First Information Reports) were lodged by the police. They were found chained and detained by their masters for forced labour and begging. These figures do not include bonded labourers who escaped from the custody of landlords and also those who were released with the help of NGOs.
In majority of the reported cases of release and rescued by the police, FIRs are not lodged against the landlords or masters, therefore, the business of debt bondage or contemporary form of slavery go unpunished, and keeps flourishing.
Of the total, 1260 bonded labourers were released from Sindh, 577 from Punjab, 34 from Khyber Pkahunkhwa and none from Balochistan.
The ISJ showed concerns that on the Global Slavery Index (GSI) 2013 by the Walk Free Foundation, Pakistan is one of the most populous countries with contemporary form of slaves including bonded labourers but the findings of the report went uncheck and unnoticed by the authorities in Pakistan. The GSI provides a gloomy picture of Pakistan. Of the total 29.8 million modern slaves in the world, 2.2 million (7 percent) modern slaves are in Pakistan. These slaves are abused, exploited, raped, tortured and killed which go unnoticed generally. Of the ten most populous countries with modern slave, Pakistan is on number three after India and China with the prevalence of highest modern slaves. It is upsetting to note that countries like Sri Lanka and Afghanistan which have remained under a war for a long time but there is low prevalence of modern slaves.
The ISJ press statement said that it is not merely poverty that is blamed but in real terms it is the will and commitment of federal and provincial governments that have yet not taken birth therefore slavery and debt bondage is common in the country.
In 2012, during the Universal Periodic Review, Ireland had recommended Pakistan to develop a clear implementation and monitoring plan for the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1992, the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Rules, 1995 and the National Policy and Plan of Action for the Abolition of Bonded Labour, 2001. The ISJ said that Pakistan had accepted Irelands’ recommendation; now, not only the federal government but after the 18th Constitutional Amendment in 2010, the provincial governments should expeditiously enforce the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1992, prepare provincial policies and plans of action and allocate funds for the rehabilitation of released or escaped bonded labourers.
The press statement further said that the most important and urgent action is required to lodge FIRs against culprits this will ensure for strong and effective deterrence from committing the crime of slavery.