Child protection body faces severe funding crunch

A child protection agency in Punjab is itself a victim of insecurity, mainly because of the paucity of funds, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights was informed on Tuesday.

Punjab Child Rights Commission Chairperson Afshan Tahseen told a committee meeting, chaired by Mehreen Razak Bhutto, they faced a severe crunch of funds because of which the officials could not undertake the field visits. “I made two visits to the affected areas on my personal expenses,” she said.

Expressing concern over the plight of the commission, Bhutto asked Tehseen to apprise the committee of its problems so that the committee could resolve them in due course. She also asked about the working of the commission and the legislation for the protection of children’s rights in Punjab.

Tahseen said that the commission comprised a chairperson and representatives from all the provinces along with two children as members. She added that it had an advisory role but also had the powers to issue civil court summons and take action in cases of torture on child during custody.

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About the committee’s query about the legislation, Tehseen said a law had been passed in Punjab regarding the rights of children, while the commission was working on six areas. She added that the protection of children was paramount and a draft bill in this regard was ready.

Meanwhile, the committee chair further expanded the subcommittee on the issue of Afghan refugees, saying that the ministries of interior, foreign affairs, state and frontier regions and other relevant ministries should come to the committee to discuss the issue of the Afghan refugees.

The chair said that the matter pertaining to transgenders would be discussed separately. However, it took up the Zainab Alert Bill and asked the human rights ministry about the rules of the bill. The committee was informed that the bill was passed two years ago but its rules could not be finalised yet.