The Punjab government has established a high-level steering committee to eliminate child labour across the province, following special directions from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. A formal notification has been issued for the 15-member body, which will coordinate efforts among all relevant departments.

Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb has been appointed as chairperson, while former National Assembly member Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha will serve as co-chairman. The committee includes provincial ministers from school education, investment and commerce, industries and trade, social welfare, and skills development. Senior bureaucrats, including secretaries of the home, labour, education, industries, social welfare, and entrepreneurship departments, are also part of the team, along with the PITB chairman and a deputy inspector general of police.

According to officials, the committee will begin by mapping sectors where child labour is most widespread. Industries, brick kilns, agriculture, fisheries, workshops, and auto-repair units will be prioritised for investigation. A province-wide data bank powered by AI and GIS technology will be developed to gather and analyse real-time information.

The body will identify high-risk districts and propose alternative support mechanisms for children removed from labour. It will also design short-term, mid-term, and long-term strategies to ensure the permanent elimination of child labour in Punjab.

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As part of its mandate, the committee will launch awareness campaigns targeting parents, teachers, and local communities. It will also set performance standards to evaluate institutions responsible for implementing child protection measures.

Punjab is the first province to initiate such a comprehensive and technology-based anti–child labour framework. Officials believe the initiative will safeguard vulnerable children and enhance Punjab’s global ranking on labour rights.