Daily Times

A division bench of the Peshawar High Court has sought reply from the provincial government officials in response to a public interest litigation urging the court to get Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018 implemented in its true letter and spirit. Advocates Sharafat A Chaudhry and Umer Sajjad Chaven filed the petition on behalf of child rights activities Imran Takkar Thursday making chief secretary of the province, secretary parliamentary affairs and human rights, secretary home and tribal affair department and secretary social welfare as respondents. Appearing before the division bench, comprising Justice Lal Jan Khattak and Justice Ijaz Anwar

Advocate Sharafat Ali Chaudhry contended that even after laps of the 3 years of enactment of Juvenile Justice System Act, 2018, the law is not fully enforced in its true letter and spirit. Advocate Sharafat, who has also drafted the JJSA, argued that the structure required to implement that law is still. Neither Juvenile Justice Committees were notified nor Juvenile Rehabilitation Centres and Observation Homes have been established. Sharafat further argued that the arrested juveniles are kept in police stations or investigation and in jails for confinement which is against the law and sheer violation of the fundamental rights of the juvenile accused persons.