Children (Pledging of Labour) Act, 1933

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THE CHILDREN (PLEDGING OF LABOUR) ACT, 1933 
 
 
 
 
   CONTENTS 
    ____________ 
SECTIONS: 
 
1.  Short title, extent and commencement. 
 
2.  Definitions. 
 
3.  Agreements contrary to the Act to be void.  
 
4.  Penalty for parent or guardian making agreement to pledge the labour of a child.  
 
5.  Penalty for making with the parent or guardian an agreement to pledge the labour of a 
child.  
 
6.  Penalty for employing a child whose labour has been pledged. 
 
 
  
Updated till 21.02.2023
 
 
THE CHILDREN (PLEDGING OF LABOUR) ACT, 1933 
 
1ACT NO. II OF 1933 
[24th February, 1933]  
 
An Act to prohibit the pledging of the labour of children 
 
WHEREAS it is expedient to prohibit the making of agreements to pledge the labour of 
children, and the employment of children whose labour has been pledged; It is hereby enacted as 
follows:— 
 
1. Short title, extent and commencement. ⸻ (1) This Act may be ca lled the Children 
(Pledging of Labour) Act, 1933.  
 
2[(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan.]  
 
(3) This section and sections 2 and 3 shall come into force at once, and the remaining sections 
of this Act shall come into force on the first day of July, 1933.  
 
2. Definitions. In this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context, — 
 
“an agreement to pledge the labour of a child” means an agreement, written or oral, express or 
implied, whereby the parent or guardian of a child, in return for any payment or benefit received or to 
be received by him, undertakes to cause or allow the services of the child to be utilised in any 
employment:  
Provided that an agreement made without detriment to a child, and not made in 
consideration of any benefit other than reasonable wages to be paid for the child's services, and 
terminable at not more than a week’s notice, is not an agreement within the meaning of this 
definition;  
“child” means a person who is under the age of fifteen years; and  
“guardian” includes any person having legal custody of or control over a child. 
3. Agreements contrary to the Act to be void. An agreement to pledge the labour of a child 
shall be void.  
 
3[4. Penalty for parent or guardian making agreement to pledge the labour  of a child. 
Whoever, being the parent or guardian of a child, makes an agreement to pledge the labour of that 
child, shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than five thousand rupees and may  extend 
to twenty thousand rupees.]  
 
 
1For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of India, 1932, Pt. V, page 195.  
This Act has been extended to the—  
(i) Leased Areas of Baluchistan, see the Leased Areas (Laws) Order, 1950 (G.G.O. 3 of 1950) and also applied in the Federated Areas of 
Baluchistan, see Gazette of India, 1937, Pt.I.p.1499;  
(ii) Baluchistan States Union, see the Baluchistan States Union (Federal Laws) (Extension) Order, 1953 (G.G.O. 4 of 1953), as amended;  
(iii) Khairpur State, see the khairpur (Federal Laws) (Extension) Order, 1953 (G.G.O. 5 of 1953), as amended; and  
(iv) State of Bahawalpur by the Bahawalpur (Extension of Federal Laws) Order, 1953 (G.G.O. 11 of 1953).  
The Act have been and shall be deemed to have been brought into force in Gwadur with effect from the 8th September, 1958, by the Gwadur 
(Application of Central Laws) Ordinance, 1960 (37 of 1960), s.2.  
This Act has been applied to the Provincially Administered Tribal Areas of Baluchistan Government Notifin. No.S.O. (T.A.)3/21/72, dt.3-7-
1979, see Baluchistan Gazette 1979, Ext. (Issue No.69).  
2Subs. by the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1960 (21 of 1960), s.3 and 2nd Sch., (with effect from the 15th October,1955), for the 
original sub-section (2), as amended by A.O., 1949, and the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Act, 1951 (26 of 1951), s.8.   
3Subs. by the children (pledging of labour) (Amdt.) (Act No. XXXII of 2022) Act, 2022, s.2  (Applicable to the extent of Islamabad Capital Territory).  
 
 
1[5. Penalty for making with the parent or guardian an agreement to pledge the labour of 
a child. Whoever makes with the parent or guardian of a child an agreement whereby such parent or 
guardian pledges the labour of the child shall be punish able with imprisonment which may extend to 
six months or fine which shall not be less than twenty thousand rupees and may extend to fifty thousand 
rupees or both, and on every subsequent conviction, the imprisonment shall not be less than six months 
or fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees or both.]  
 
1[6. Penalty for employing a child whose labour has been pledged. Whoever, knowing or 
having reason s to believe that an agreement has been made to pledge the labour of a child, in 
furtherance of such agreement employs such child, or permits such c hild to be employed in any 
premises or place under his control, shall be punish able with imprisonment which may extend to six 
months or fine which shall not be less than twenty thousand rupees and may extend to fifty thousand 
rupees or both, and on every subsequent conviction, the imprisonment shall not be less than six months 
or fine which shall not be less than fifty thousand rupees or both.] 
 
_______________ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1Subs. by the children (Pledging of Labour) (Amdt.) (Act No. XXXII of 2022) Act, 2022, ss. 3 & 4 (Applicable to the extent of Islamabad 
Capital Territory).