Chairperson, Sindh Child Protection Authority (CSPA), MPA Shamim Mumtaz on Monday said that child abuse cases should be disposed-off rapidly or separate desks be established in the courts for speedy trial of these cases.
The MPA said that child abuse cases are constantly rising, which is very a worrisome situation and requested the superior courts to take suo moto actions.
The CSPA Shamim Mumtaz, expressed this while addressing a press conference at a local press club.
MPA Mumtaz said Sindh government is taking all out efforts and actions to end child abuse cases and CSPA is also working tirelessly on this issue. She said efforts are underway to make awareness among the people and the children. She lamented previously children were unsafe only outside, but now the situation has worsened to an extent that they are not even safe in their homes which depicts a sorry state of affairs.
She said we have started a theater program for child protection, stoppage of underage marriages, child abuses and torture, adding that through this program CSPA aims to make awareness campaign in schools, maressahs and lower level programs will be held in different languages.
She said Lady Health Workers (LHWs) are already spreading awareness in the morning assemblies at various schools. She said we are collecting different suggestions through open meetings at district level to stop child abuse cases apart from consulting parents.
She urged Ulema to discharge their responsibilities in eliminating child abuse and torture cases in madressahs and mosques due to which country is defamed. She said Sindh police has also been asked to send names of SSP rank officers for posting as focal persons, adding that on district level WhatsApp groups are being constituted to stop such cases to ensure provision of speedy justice.
After the media talk, an open meeting was held which was attended by social welfare activists including Niaz Abro, Altaf Ansari, Khuda Bux Kango, Qadir Bux Kamangar, Noor Jehan, Balqees Chandio and others who submitted their suggestions to prevent child abuses.
Nasim Ahmed Jarwar who also took part in the open meeting, informed the meeting that his 9-year daughter Saima Jarwar was also sexually-assaulted, brutally killed on 24th April 2018 and FIR was registered at Hyderi police station of Larkana. He complained that after two years, the court freed accused Abid Shaikh and Waqar Mughal. He announced that he will file an appeal in the Sindh High Court for justice against the lower court decision.