Senator Harkin visited Pakistan and saw first hand a Department of Labor funded program to combat child labor in the carpet industry. Over 20,000 children between the ages of 10-18 have been removed from hazardous work conditions and provided either non-formal education or vocational training.

Additionally Senator Harkin visited a primary school working toward the eradication of illiteracy in remote and neglected areas of Pakistan. The school has two teachers and is from grades 1-5 with an enrollment of 48 children, who come from poor households in the community. This project is a private-public partnership between USAID and Pakistani-Americans.

In the Northwest Frontier Province, along the border with Afghanistan, Senator Harkin visited a primary school for boys This project is jointly funded between USAID and the Government of Japan.

Senator Harkin met with President Pervez Musharraf and discussed a broad range of issues which included the global war on terrorism, child labor, human rights, and education.