Sit-in: Children’s exposure to violence condemned

Civil society organisations raise concern over presence of children at site of ongoing sit-ins in the federal capital

ISLAMABAD: Civil society organisations have raised concern over presence of children at the site of the ongoing sit-ins in the federal capital.

Child Rights Movement (CRM) Pakistan, a coalition of civil society organisations working for the promotion and protection of children’s rights in the country, has raised serious concern over children’s exposure to violence and use of hazardous gases, said a press release issued on Thursday.

19 children have so far been brought to the PIMS and Polyclinic hospitals following the clashes between the protesters and the law enforcers, hospital officials said.

CRM Pakistan’s coordinator said that media and hospital reports suggested several children were among the people who were injured due to the use of tear gas, rubber bullets, batons and stones during clashes between police and the protesters on the Constitution Avenue and in other parts of the country.

The press release said that heavy shelling, firing and excessive use of tear gas was damaging for the physical and mental health of the children.

CRM Pakistan urged the government as well as law enforcement agencies not to use violence against children and against women nursing young children among the protesting groups.

The organisation also urged the capital administration to immediately shift the police from the 57 schools to other government buildings.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2014.