By Our Correspondent
ISLAMABAD — Under the leadership of Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan, Convenor of the Parliamentary Caucus on Child Rights (PCCR) and Parliamentary Secretary for Science and Technology, the National Assembly convened a crucial meeting at the Parliament House to address the alarming rise in child abuse cases across Pakistan. The session focused on reviewing trends in child violence, abuse, and exploitation, while examining current conviction rates in such cases.
Dr. Nikhat Shakeel Khan opened the session by welcoming members and guests, emphasizing lawmakers’ collective responsibility to ensure a safe and nurturing environment for every child. She underscored the urgent need to identify legal and institutional gaps and strengthen justice mechanisms to protect children nationwide.
The Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), represented by Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas, delivered a detailed presentation outlining the prevalence of child abuse, child labour, early marriages, trafficking, and other forms of exploitation. The report included conviction statistics obtained through the Right to Information Act from law enforcement agencies in all provinces and Islamabad, covering data from 2019 to 2024.
Another study titled “Good Touch & Bad Touch – A Development Study of Schools in Islamabad” was presented by Maryam Jawad, Director Programs at SSDO, and Yusra Khurram Butt, Research Associate. Parliamentarians reviewed the findings and shared suggestions for a forthcoming publication to raise broader awareness on child safety.
During open discussion, Ms. Zeb Jaffar proposed conducting storytelling workshops in Islamabad schools to educate children and parents on personal safety, while Dr. Shahida Rehmani called for integrating harassment awareness into school curricula. Syeda Shehla Raza highlighted the value of using visual aids such as films to educate parents, teachers, and children, and Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar cautioned against leaving children unsupervised with relatives or domestic staff.
The meeting was attended by prominent members of the PCCR, including Dr. Shahida Rehmani, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Ms. Shaista Pervaiz, Pullain Baloch, Ms. Farah Naz Akbar, Ms. Rana Ansar, Ms. Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui, Ms. Zeb Jaffar, Ms. Kiran Imran Dar, Barrister Danyal Chaudhary, Syeda Shehla Raza, Ms. Nuzhat Sadiq, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Syed Ali Qasim Gillani, Ms. Asia Naz Tanoli, and Mr. Amjad Ali, along with former parliamentarians Ms. Surriya Asghar and Ms. Asiya Nasir.
Dr. Amjad Ali emphasized ensuring safe and regulated environments in schools and madrassas, while Syed Qasim Ali Gillani called for faster conviction processes to protect victims from undue pressure. Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, Ms. Farah Naz Akbar, and Ms. Sofia Saeed Shah urged comprehensive training for teachers and staff to empower children in recognizing abuse.
Ms. Aasia Ishaque Siddiqui suggested adding anti-harassment features on mobile phones and gaming consoles in collaboration with the Ministry of IT, while Barrister Danyal Chaudhary stressed strengthening institutional frameworks to rescue children forced into beggary by exploitative relatives.
