Govt mulls identity cards for abandoned children: Dr Nishtar

Special assistant to prime minister on social security says discussions going on for policy

RAWALPINDI: Government is devising policy in collaboration with interior ministry and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) for making identity cards of abandoned children, said Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Security Dr Sania Nishtar visited Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB).

The most basic issue of identity card is parentage and family tree, which abandoned and lost children do not have, however, government will help them get identity, she said talking to The Express Tribune during her visit to the Child Protection Welfare Bureau (CPWB).

She met with children in CPWB and later cut cake in connection with Eidul-Azha. She said government would develop an online “lost and found” portal for lost children across the country. Every citizen would have access to the portal, she told.

Dr Nishtar said that Ehsas programme would work for welfare of abandoned children while underprivileged parents would also receive economic protection for raising their children.

The advisor was also briefed about bureau’s performance by District Officer CPWB, Ali Abid. On the occasion provincial  minister for  Literacy and Non Formal Basic Education, Raja Rashid Hafeez and Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali Randhawa were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2019.