Children real asset to nation: minister

LAHORE: Children are real asset of our nation. They demand time and attention of parents. Joint family system used to give a healthy environment to children. It needs joint efforts of government, schools and seminaries to sensitise children about sexual abuse and break this taboo.

These views were expressed by the speakers at a seminar titled “Secure Children, Strong Pakistan”, on the occasion of “Child Protection Day”, here. Punjab Minister for Schools Education Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan chaired the seminar.

He said, “I request the court for public execution of Zainab’s murderer. This incident makes us realise that our children are not safe in their own homes and something is wrong within the system. In the light of the directions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, special ceremonies will be held in public sector schools in which students will be guided about self-protection and other issues of importance so that they could protect themselves in any untoward situation”.

He said that Child Protection Day will be observed throughout the province every year on February 07. He said that children are the future of any nation and protection of children’s rights is the basic responsibility of state. The Punjab government is utilising all resources for the best education of the future builders so that Pakistan could get best human resource for human building.

He said Child Protection Day is aimed to raise awareness about rights of the children among the public because it is a collective responsibility. He told that Government Zainab Fatima Girls School, Kasur has been set up in the memory of little girl Zainab.

Hameeda Waheed-ud-Din, Minister for Woman Development said that children are our bright future and their security, education and secure upbringing is our collective responsibility. She said a booklet has been introduced by the Punjab government to raise public awareness about protection of the children.

This booklet is arranged in consultation with all the line departments and it is expected that this booklet will help to promote necessary awarenessfor saving the children and students from unscrupulous elements. She concluded that Women Development Department is all ready to help the education and child protection department in every mean.

Zakia Shahnawaz, Minister For Environment, Punjab said that after partition there was a friendly environment and children used to play and run in the fields freely without any particular supervision. With the increment in population evil thoughts rose and destroyed our generations. Parents don’t know about the activities of their children. We should make their lives so busy with sports that they won’t think about any bad or criminal activities.

Saba Sadiq, Chairperson Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, Punjab said that I saw hundreds of neglected children on daily basis. And sometimes, I just couldn’t stop myself to cry over the cruelty of our society.

She said that I personally support joint family system. In joint family system children get the attention of parents and grandparents. On the other hand, in single family parents don’t have proper time for their children and they face many issues due to negligence. We should give proper and undivided attention to our children. Raghib Naeemi, Principal Darul Alum Jamia Naeemia, said that five lac students are learning in the seminaries all over Punjab. This is our duty to talk with our children on their protection without any hesitation. Islam says to build a friendly relation with children and don’t scold them all the time.

Iftikhar Mubarik, a child right activist, said that government needed to make child protection policy, it is the urgent need of the hour. DG CP&WB Ms Kiran Khursheed, Dr Khalid Masood Gondal, Maulana Fazal-e-Raheem, Maulana Hussain Akbar, Bishop of Lahore Irfan Jamil, Secretary Schools Dr Allah Bakhsh Malik, MD PCTB Abdul Qayyum and others also spoke on the occasion.