A viral video recorded at the residence of PML-N MNA Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan has sparked criticism online after showing a barefoot child carrying a urine collection bag. The footage has raised concerns about the child’s treatment and questions about possible child labour.
The video reportedly surfaced after politician Shabbir Ahmed Usmani Mayo visited Hayat Khan to inquire about his health. Social media users questioned why a child appeared to be carrying the bag for an adult and called for greater attention to the child’s welfare. Criticism also extended to Hayat Khan’s son, Rana Sikandar Hayat, who serves as Punjab’s education minister.
However, the child’s identity, relationship with the household and circumstances remain unclear. There is no confirmed evidence that the child was employed as a domestic worker, and the footage alone does not establish whether any law was broken.
Pakistan has laws aimed at protecting children from exploitation. The Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019 prohibits children under 15 from working in households. The National Commission on the Rights of the Child has also called for stronger enforcement of child protection laws.
