Child protection: CM to monitor efforts to recover missing children

41 children have been recovered in two weeks, Sharif said

LAHORE: Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Thursday ordered the constitution of a committee to oversee recovery of missing children.

Chairing a meeting in this regard, he named Special Assistant Rana Maqbool Ahmad as head of the committee.

“I will personally review the progress made in recovery of missing children,” he said. The chief minister said indiscriminate action would be taken against those involved in forcing children into beggary. He also appreciated the performance of the Child Welfare and Protection Bureau for their work in rehabilitation of homeless children.

The chief minister also reviewed the overall law and order situation, steps taken for security of courts, security arrangements for August 14 celebrations, the traffic management and the campaign against one-wheeling.

Participants of the meeting prayed for those who were killed in Tuesday’s attack in Quetta.

Addressing the meeting, the chief minister said, “The people of the Punjab stand with the bereaved families of Balochistan... We are firm in our stance against terrorism. We will defeat them with unity.”

He said police and law enforcement agencies should step up the counter-terrorism efforts.

The chief minister also ordered provision of security for judges. “Negligence in this regard will not be tolerated,” he said. “Special attention should also be paid to the security of lawyers.”

The chief minister said steps were being taken for recovery of missing children. “A permanent system for monitoring the status of missing children should be evolved,” he said.

The chief minister said foolproof security should be ensured for August 14 celebrations.

“Nothing is more important than the lives and properties of citizens,” he said.

He said additional police guards should be deployed at sensitive areas.

The meeting decided that the Independence Day ceremonies be kept simple in view of Tuesday’s attack in Quetta.

Quran khawani for those killed in the attack would be held on August 14.

The chief minister urged the district administration to continue its crackdown on one-wheeling.

“One-wheeling will not be tolerated in any city,” he said.

He said an effective traffic management plan should be evolved for Lahore and Murree.

The meeting was told that 41 children had returned to their homes during the last two weeks.

The participants were informed that more than 4,000 cases had been registered against one-wheelers in nine days. Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan and Advisor to Chief Minister Khawaja Salman Rafiq were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2016.