Reham Khan meets street children in Peshawar. PHOTO: PPI
Adviser to Chief Minister on Social Welfare Mehar Taj Roghani has announced the establishment of an academy for street children in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
At a conference titled State Children Declaration and Roadmap held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Sunday, PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s wife Reham Khan was named the official ambassador for street children in K-P.
Besides Roghani and Reham, K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaisar and Dr Altaf Khattak were present along with 20 children who live on the streets. Representatives of different organisations and social activists were in attendance.
Counting children
Roghani said a survey would be conducted in the districts of Peshawar, Mardan and Abbottabad to ascertain the number of street children. She said counting the number of individuals was an easy task, but implementing the policy would be far more challenging.
She announced the academy would soon be established where technical education and the regular curriculum will be taught so children who live off the grid are equipped with the necessary skills. The adviser said such steps will allow them to play a pivotal role in the development of the country.
The participants of the conference discussed different ways to protect children against all forms of violence and ensure they are granted their basic rights.
Goodwill ambassador
Speaking on the occasion, Reham Khan stated it was always her passion to do something for children who live on the streets of Pakistan.
Khan said they were not only the state’s responsibility, but of every individual in society. “Only educating them will not resolve the issue,” she said. “These children need to be given a childhood as well.” Quoting a documentary, she said nine out of 10 street children face some form of abuse.
Reham said the PTI government had laid down the foundations for a “naya K-P”. She added it was important to uplift Peshawar and develop the city to inspire a positive mindset among the residents of the provincial capital.
Under way
K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser said the final proposals for the academy were being processed and he hoped the institute would become functional in 2016. ”Nobody can guarantee us a peaceful future if we fail to eliminate the problems faced by these children.”
Qaiser stated once the children were enrolled, they would need scholarships so they (and their families) are not financially burdened. Echoing Khan’s views, the speaker stressed it was the responsibility of a welfare state to provide people with health facilities, an education and jobs.
From Karachi, with love
Reham said PTI received a tremendous reception in Karachi. “The women of NA-246 will not let me down and will play a vital role in the by-election.”
She denied receiving any “gift” from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, but quipped if MQM supremo Altaf Hussain wanted to give any presents, they it should go to Shaukat Khanam Memorial Hospital in Peshawar or the children who live off the streets of the provincial capital.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2015.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ