Senate body thoroughly reviews existing child abuse laws
ISLAMABAD: The Senate Special Committee on Child Protection in its meeting reviewed existing laws regarding child abuse and social system regarding child protection.
Chaired by Senator Rubina Khalid, the meeting was attended by senators Rana Maqbool Ahmed, Muhammad Ali Khan Saif and senior officers from Islamabad Police, Pakistan Baitul Maal and members of civil society.
Committee Convener Senator Rubina Khalid said the committee was set up on the special directives of the Senate chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani and intended to review the issue of child abuse in great detail; especially in connection with reference to the incident that took place in a Mansehra seminary.
The case of little Uooz Noor was taken up by the committee as well. She stressed the need for sensitization of the people and said society must play its role to prevent such incidents. She said it was imperative to determine the root cause for increase in such cases in the country.
All participants presented the committee with suggestions on how this extensively important matter was to be dealt with to generate long term results. A strategy must be formed to formulate an effective solution to the issue.
The committee, it was asserted, must focus on preventive action, awareness and advocacy. A one-window operation system must be formulated to facilitate action in such cases.
The availability of funds was asserted. Training and sensitization of the police and judiciary was stressed. The participants were of the view that the agenda must be structured to gain maximum results. The importance of creating pre-incident awareness was stressed. The Razi-Nama (agreement) culture must be shunned and courts must have the ability to give compensation to the victims. Making use of existing resources was encouraged. Identification of loopholes in existing laws by the committees of both houses and a mechanism for ensure implementation was recommended. - APP