In spite of ban on child labour, thousands of children are working in biscuit, carpet, embroidery, garments and polythene factories in Multan city with the connivance of labour welfare department, which is allegedly extorting bribe from all small and big industrial & commercial units to allow them to do what they desire.
One Muhammad Rashid (16), who was serving in a biscuit factory in New Grain Market, injured seriously when a lift dislocated and fell on him.
He was removed to a hospital in a critical condition by his fellow labourers where he died. His parents were unable to purchase the medicines for him and the factory owner did not even visit the hospital to see him.
He was earning Rs 1400 per month and was the only earning hand of his nine-member family.
Workers said that the factory owner was forcing them to do work for 12 hours instead of eight hours against the meagre salary of 1400. Rashid was doing overtime for purchasing medicines for his grandmother.