Imposing ban on domestic child labour, the Senate’s Standing Committee on Human Rights Tuesday passed amended Domestic Workers Bill to protect housemaids.

According to the 24News HD TV channel, a meeting of the standing committee was chaired by Senator Waleed Iqbal and approved the bill.

As per the text of the bill, all the house owners have been barred to recruit male or female employees under the age of 18.

The bill said that the house owner would also issue a regular appointment letter to the domestic servant and fixed only nine working hours for him or her.

The bill further said that the domestic employees would be given six annual holidays at festivals.

In the case of overtime after the allotted working hours, 19 per cent of the salary would be paid for the extra three hours to the domestic worker from the owner, the bill said.

About the termination of the domestic worker, the bill said that the employer would pay the servant one month's notice and salary at the time of dismissal.

The bill attached the salaries of the domestic workers under the labour laws in Pakistan and said that the owner would also pay a salary of servant during her maternity leave.

Reporter: Gohar Mehsud