Over decades, Pakistan has created a labyrinth of laws and acts, hard to traverse and harder to deconstruct. This maze, replete with nuanced contradictions, is held together by an outdated and archaic foundation. It still stands owing to patchworks and amendments made here and there by a sincere few.
In this regard, Shehzad Roy and his Zindagi Trust, along with officials concerned, have achieved a rather historic feat. After years of campaigning relentlessly against corporal punishment, a violent practice that is rampant in schools and madrassas all over the country, the musician and social worker finally convinced the National Assembly to pass the ICT Prohibition of Corporal Punishment Bill, which primarily addresses the PPC Section 89 loophole by effectively banning all forms of corporal punishment “however light” regardless of reasoning. Roy’s tenacity towards a just cause should serve as an impetus for change and urge all to stand up against such inhumane practices. The musician has also effectively highlighted the need to re-evaluate existing rights laws owing to faults and cracks in its overall construction — an initiative that the government must consider.
While the first step has finally been taken, it is of paramount importance for provincial assemblies to follow suit. Apart from Sindh, no other province has formulated laws that protects children from corporal punishment and violence, the trauma of which lingers on till adulthood. Even though a major hurdle has been surpassed, there is an even bigger one waiting ahead — implementation. Not only is there a need to streamline a system whereby complaints are entertained and violators convicted, it is equally important to rid society of its violent and toxic mindset through awareness and education. Wellness and psycho-therapy should be included in the legal process and camps set up for children who have been violated or abused, at home or in school. The bitter truth is that cases of child abuse are increasingly surfacing especially during the pandemic. Therefore, there is no room for complacency.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2021.
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