‘Call to adopt pending legislation’

LAHORE

Civil society activists have urged the government for prompt adoption of all pending legislation, including the Charter of Child Rights Bill, the Child Protection (Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill, and the National Commission on the Rights of the Children (NCRC) Bill and all pending relevant provincial legislation

A leading advocacy group focusing on implementation of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through advocacy and lobbying by engaging key stakeholders including children, adolescent and youth, welcomed the passing of “The Criminal Law (Amendment) bill 2015 by Senate of Pakistan. Rashida Qureshi in her statement stated that in 2009 the UN Committee on the Rights of Child had recommended the government of Pakistan to continue and strengthen its efforts to develop and implement legislative frameworks harmonized with the Convention on the Rights of Child in all areas affecting children’s rights and at all legislative levels, and to ensure that all domestic laws and administrative regulations concerning children are rights-based and conform to the principles and provisions of the Convention. 

Iffat Chaudhry said that the country was rocked by a major sexual abuse and exploitation scandal last August when it was revealed that hundreds of pornographic videos of children from Hussain Khanwala village in the Punjab had been made and were being circulated. 

About 20 arrests were made, but only the acts of rape and abuse were punishable by law. Iftikhar Mubarik also appreciated passing the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill 2015 by Senate of Pakistan.