Crimes against children

Heinous crimes against children continue to be committed on Pakistani soil. A group of around a dozen independent UN experts have recently reported an uptick in cases of abductions, forced marriages and conversions of girls belonging to religious minorities. They have further deplored that law enforcing agencies, along with courts, enable such offences to be carried out “by accepting, without critical examination, fraudulent evidence”. As a result, the issue remains unacknowledged, perpetrators flee, and mafias continue to operate unabated.

Girls as young as 13 are kidnapped, trafficked, forcefully married, or made to convert to Islam. These acts are carried out under the guise of religion and are thus allowed by certain laws that continue to dent the human rights situation in the country. Owing to the deteriorating situation, UN experts have urged the Pakistani government to halt these practices through prudent measures and legislative changes. Unfortunately, the incumbent government has yet to acknowledge the severity of the situation. It must also be noted that mafias are also working with or for influential religious and political personalities in rural areas. Religious extremism has also been a major hindrance in initiating change, as clerics believe that children have a right to change their religion, which is contrary to the law of the land that states that a child must be 18 years old to do so. In order to reform the human rights structure and protect child and women from inhumane practices, legislative loopholes that allow for such criminality must be addressed after careful consultation with experts and stakeholders.

At the practical level, a special police force must be established to dismantle mafias operating deep inside Sindh and Punjab. NGOs have long been working on ground to document and report cases, and information from them would be immensely useful for the government. A proactive instead of a reactive approach is required by officials to change the human rights landscape and protect the future of Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2023.

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