Growing child abuse

Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari has said that Pakistan is number one in child pornography. But there is the proverbial law’s delay, which is proving an obstacle in the way of curbing the menace. Speaking at the launch of Child Protection Campaign in Islamabad on July 4, the minister said the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Bill, 2019 was yet to be cleared by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights. She said if there was a law, punishment could be awarded in accordance with that.

According to the Ministry of Human Rights secretary, bills on child abuse — including the most important one, the Zainab Alert Bill — are in Parliament. Besides, a national action plan for the rights of children has been prepared. The delays in enactment of laws against child abuse once again prove lethargy on the part of public representatives and the bureaucracy. This also shows the laid-back attitude of public representatives and the officialdom to important issues of public concern. The minister lamented that in spite of increasing incidents of child abuse no dialogue had been held at any level. She suggested a campaign to be launched at the school level to sensitise children to the menace.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has also said that child abuse is on the rise in the country. This is an international racket and some people in Pakistan have links with international gangsters involved in the business of child pornography. According to the FIA, 20 accused have been arrested and investigations are underway against 50 suspects. In 2015, a racket was discovered in Kasur where 200 children were found to have been subjected to sexual abuse. This was done by uploading their nude pictures on the net. The pictures had been obtained through blackmail. The increasing cases of child abuse are a wake-up call for the government and society. Remedial measures should be put in place and without any further delay.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 6^th, 2019.

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