According to a new in-depth report from Maplecroft, labour risks in Pakistan have been further exacerbated by the worst floods in the country’s history and the global economic crisis...The economic crisis has also been blamed for an increase in child labour...Companies investing in Pakistan must be aware that the majority of workers in the country are not formally employed and, as a consequence, are not protected by labour laws...Furthermore, because of the lack of government oversight and regulation in the informal sector, child labour is prevalent, especially within brick kilns, carpet manufacturing, workshops, restaurants and farms. Moreover, many children work in hazardous conditions including surgical instruments manufacturing, glass bangles production, tanneries, coal mines, seafood cleaning, gas/petrol stations and domestic work...Many children are also found in forced or bonded labour conditions, along with a disproportionate number of women, religious minorities and individuals that are members of the lowest scheduled castes.