NA HR body concerned over begging, child abuse and drug use

ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Human Rights has expressed grave concern over the rapid growth of child begging, child abuse, and the increase of drugs in private and government educational institutions. The committee directed the Ministry of Human Rights and the National Commission on the Rights of the Child (NCRC) to take effective measures to curb such social evils.

The Committee emphasized the need for effective legislation and the implementation of existing laws to protect children’s rights. They also directed the Ministry of Human Rights to propose ways to strengthen the NCRC so that child protection can be implemented effectively.

The meeting of the Standing Committee was chaired by Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid Raza at Parliament House on Thursday. The Committee instructed the Ministry of Human Rights to establish proper communication with the Ministry of Education to raise awareness about drugs, child abuse, and the use of social media platforms to prevent the younger generation from falling victim to these social issues.

The Committee postponed the briefing of the remaining departments of the Ministry of Human Rights until the next meeting. The Secretary and Chairperson of the NCRC provided a brief overview of the organization’s mandate and activities.

MNAs Danyal Chaudhary, Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, Dr Nelson Azeem, Ms Naz Baloch, Naveed Aamir, Ali Muhammad, Sher Afzal Khan, Muhammad Riaz Fatyana, Gohar Ali Khan, Ms Zartaj Gul (via video link), Changaze Ahmad Khan, Ms Sehar Kamran, and Ms Wajiha Qamar attended the meeting.