PHC quashes child protection rule change

Court orders reconstitution of IMC with qualified members

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has declared illegal an amendment made to Rule 32 of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection Rules, 2016, which led to the dissolution of the Institute Management Committee (IMC).

The court directed the provincial government to appoint qualified and experienced members to the committee after necessary clearance.

The verdict was announced by a two-member bench comprising Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Khurshid Iqbal while hearing a writ petition filed by Hamidullah through his counsel, Faheemullah Akhunzada Advocate.

The petition challenged the provincial government's amendment to Rule 32 of the Child Protection Rules.

The petitioner argued that under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection Act, 2010, the government is responsible for the protection, welfare, education and rehabilitation of street children and other vulnerable minors. For this purpose, a Child Protection Institution was established along with an Institute Management Committee to function as its policy-making and governing body.