Shireen Mazari's absence irks Senate committee

Members express displeasure over govt’s attitude towards the cause

ISLAMABAD: The Senate’s special committee against child abuse has expressed displeasure over the absence of Federal Minister of Human Rights Shireen Mazari from its meeting, saying the government makes big claims but doesn’t bother attending briefings.

During the committee’s meeting chaired by Senator Nuzhat Sadiq, the members were irked by the absence of both the minister and secretary concerned.

“The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government is making big claims but their ministers don’t show up for briefings,” said Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Sitara Ayaz, urging practical steps to curb child abuse.



Similarly, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said around 25 million children weren’t even attending school but the government kept boasting of good performance. “There is no protection for children in the entire country,” he said.

Commenting on the government’s claim of transforming Pakistan into a state like Madina, he said, “The weak must be given due protection to fulfil this promise.” The senator lamented that the committee lacked accurate data on orphan kids, children involved in crime and those not going to school, which showed that the government had no interest in child rights.

Officials of the Balochistan Department of Social Welfare briefed the committee on measures being taken for protecting children in the province. They said a child protection commission would be formed.

The panel was also informed that there were 43 children in Balochistan’s jails.

Senator Mushtaq said children were being smuggled across the Iran border, while Senator Ayaz said the Child Protection Act was first enacted in Punjab but could not be implemented properly. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had adopted a similar act and decided to create a separate child protection commission under the law, he said.

The senators agreed that the government could not run child protection bureaus and commissions comprising members of the civil society and NGOs should be formed.

A representative of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) also informed the committee that 2,000 child protection officers were deployed in Balochistan but most of them were just receiving salary without doing anything.

“The law against child abuse should not be limited to just physical abuse or torture,” said Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Senator Barrister Saif, adding that the issue of depriving children of going to school should also be addressed.

He said some children were found being smuggled in trucks on the Iranian border and they must have come from somewhere.
Senator Saif said the practice of involving minor children in begging should be stopped. An official of the human rights ministry said minors could be stopped from begging and kept in shelters.