Rising cases of abuse

KARACHI: It was reported on Sunday that a minor boy was admitted to Hyderabad’s Liaquat University Hospital after being injured in an attempted sexual assault. According to the victim’s brother, the 16-year-old boy was subjected to sodomy in a field in Matiari district. The perpetrators fled the scene when the victim’s brother and uncle arrived to rescue him. This is not the first case of child abuse that has been reported this year. Last month a 10-year-old boy was strangled after being sexually assaulted in an under-construction plaza situated in Lahore’s Nawab Town. On June 14, a domestic help in Muzaffargarh was taken into police custody after he had raped and murdered a 6-year-old son of his employee. The list goes on and on and on.

These cases show that Pakistan remains embroiled with the problem of child abuse. The authorities have taken measures against it. The Zainab Alert Bill was introduced which was passed after a minor girl Zainab was raped and brutally murdered in Kasur. However, these laws and child protection bills have done less to ensure the safety of our children. The authorities need to make substantial efforts to counter child abuse and punish the perpetrators on an immediate basis. There is a need for a fast-track mechanism to deal with the cases of child abuse. From filing FIR to a judicial remand and hearings in court, these cases must be treated on a priority basis.

It is essential to raise awareness regarding child safety through massive campaigning. The campaigns should highlight violations of children’s rights and educate parents on how they can protect their children. The police force must work diligently to recover the missing children. Zero negligence should be tolerated on their part in such instances. It is time to actively and collectively fight this menace.

Nayab Iqbal

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2020.

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