Delay in notifying national commission on child rights vexes Rabbani

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani has sought explanation from the government in the upcoming Senate session for delay in notification of the National Commission on the Rights of Child.

He contended that despite the fact that the Parliament has enacted law for protection of the child rights and provided for constitution of a National Commission on the Rights of Child, the government had not been able to notify the commission.

The upper house of the Parliament is most likely to meet in fourth week of this month. Rabbani had already referred the matter pertaining to gory killing of the little child to the Senate functional committee on human rights, which is scheduled to hold a meeting on January 17 in Lahore. “Pursuant to the unfortunate incident of rape and murder of our little Zainab, there are certain reports in the electronic, print and social media that no appropriate legislation is available for children. In August 2015 after the Kasur incident, in which at least 280 children were filmed being sexually abused while their parents blackmailed over the footage, the Senate took note of the incident and the chairman Senate referred the matter to the committee on human rights to propose appropriate legislation to curb the same,” Rabbani pointed out. The committee, he noted, in consultation with the government put forward the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, which, after passage by both houses of Parliament and attaining the presidential assent, became an Act of Parliament on March 22, 2016. The new sections 292 A, 292 B and 292 C, 328 A, 369 A, 377 A and 377 B have been incorporated in the Pakistan Panel Code, 1860, making child pornography and exposure to seduction, a punishable crime.

The amendment to the penal code also raised the age of criminal responsibility from seven to 10 years of age, Rabbani continued. Under the revised legislation, sexual assaults is now be punishable by up to seven years in prison. Previously, only rape was criminalised. Likewise, child pornography, which was previously not mentioned in the law, will be punishable by seven years in prison and a fine of Rs0.7 million. Similarly, a law was passed by the Parliament to provide for constitution of a National Commission on the rights of child and for the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, which received presidential assent on 20th October, 2017.

Amongst other functions, it is pertinent, the commission is mandated to examine and review any law or policy or practice, for the time being in force, for protection of child rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation; inquire into violation of child rights and recommend to the relevant agency or department initiation of proceedings in such cases; spread awareness and promote dialogue on child rights among various sections of the society and promote awareness of the safeguards available for protection of these rights.