Human Rights

Narrowed topic: Child labor in Pakistan (A Narrative)

My name is “Chotay”, “Oye”, “Bewakoof”,”Gadhay” and many others. Originally I was named…..ummm.. Ah yes… Karim! Although I never hear that. I was the youngest of six siblings. I don’t remember what my brothers and sisters look like, it has been six years since I went home, I am twelve now.  I don’t have a family. Well, a man comes every three months, says he is my “father” and tells me tales of this “mother” who loves me and these “brothers and sisters” who “miss” their little brother. I don’t know even if that man is my father or not, he takes the money that I have worked for day and night and only returns when its time to collect my payment. I am an orphan for all practical reasons. During one of these visits by my “father”, I asked him, “Why am I not staying at home and why am I working here?” Patting my head smilingly he said, “We need the money and people want hard workers like you.” This was perhaps the only question I had asked him in all these years. I AM AN ORPHAN AFTER ALL!

I work at a car mechanics shop. “Ustad” is a fierce and harsh man. He treats me like I am his slave, well maybe I am. After all that man doesn’t come for nothing every three months. Although Ustad does teach me what he knows, I think he is a bad teacher. But frankly, he is the only teacher I have had. In fact he is my mother, my father and my family. But I hate him. Each and every second of the day I hate him, for the way he makes me work, I hate him. The way he abuses me, I hate him. The way he yells at me, I hate him. The way he beats me, I hate him. The way he ignores me, I hate him. But I don’t know what I would do if anything were to happen to him. Even the thought of something happening to him shivers me to the bone. I love him after-all.

I remember hearing about "Children's Day" a few months back. I laughed the whole night. I still chuckle every time I remember the anchor on the television saying, "Children are our future, we must be kind and tender to them and provide them with a world of possibilities." My wrench and Ustad's abuses.I had my world of possibilities! Once an elderly man came to me with some sound advice. "Go to school and you can make your future bright". I cannot believe how stupid some people are. Does that old idiot actually think I had a choice and am ruining my life? Will he feed me for that time? Will he work for Ustad for the payment that has been made to my "dearly beloved father"? Maybe next time the news should be about "Common Sense Day"!