The Pakistan Development Review 42 : 2 (Summer 2003) pp. 137–160 Children in Different Activities: Child Schooling and Child Labour RANA EJAZ ALI KHAN * Using primary data from two districts of Pakistan, this article analyses the supply- side determinants of child labour. The study finds that the birth-order of the child has a significant association with schooling and labour decision of child: first school enrolment of children is delayed; there exists gender disparity in favour of male children; the children from female-headed households are more likely to go to school; the education of the head of household has a positive impact on child’s schooling; among the parent’s parameters mother’s education is more important than father’s; parental education is positively associated with child schooling and negatively associated with child labour. The ownership of assets impacts the schooling positively, and labour negatively; the household size affects the schooling negatively, and work positively; and household composition also has a significant effect on schooling and child labour. The children from urban areas are more likely to go to school. INTRODUCTION According to Child Labour Survey 1996, among the 40 million children aged 5–14 years, 3.3 million, i.e., 8.3 percent are economically active in Pakistan. Out of these, 2.4 million (73 percent of the child labour force) child labourers are boys and 0.9 million (27 percent of the child labour force) are girls. There is expanding literature on child labour that provides empirical evidence on the nature and determinants of child labour. The previous literature on Pakistani child labour includes Khan (1982); Hussain (1985); Ahmed (1991); Khan and Ali (1991) and Weiner and Noman (1995); and recently Addison, et al. (1997); Burki and Fasih (1998); Burki and Shahnaz (2001); Ray (2000); Ray (2000a); Ray (2001) and Ali and Khan (2003). Some studies [see for instance Khan (1982); Ahmed (1991); Chaudhary and Khan (2002)] discuss mainly the qualitative features of child labour. These studies consist largely of case studies interviewing working children. Some literature focuses on the quantitative aspect of child labour. Within the empirical literature on child labour, there has been a shift in emphasis from Rana Ejaz Ali Khan is Lecturer in Economics, Government Faridia College, Pakpattan, Pakistan. Author’s Note: I am grateful to Prof. Abid Aman Burki, Director, Centre for Management Economics Research, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, for guidance towards the final revision of this paper.