Perspective - Page 20

Insights From the 2023 Census Report

The 2023 Census conducted by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics released its complete report in July 2024 indicates that the total population of Pakistan is 240 million out of which the population of children under 18 is 112 Million (47% of the total population). Children Population (under 18) Population under 18 Total Male Female Transgender Pakistan 112,472,700 58,099,978 54,370,121 2,601…

Grace Marks by Sindh Government

In a move as surprising as it is contentious, the Sindh provincial government has decreed a generous 15% grace mark for students who faltered in their class XI examinations last year. The decision, prompted by an investigative committee report on the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi’s controversial results, comes as…

Juvenile Offenders in Punjab

The total number of convicted and undertrial juveniles imprisoned in various borstal…

deficiencies in Pakistan's education system

The Impact of Pakistan’s Education System

What PM Shehbaz Sharif blurted out recently isn’t quite a national secret.…

Rising Rape

MISOGYNY is the bane of women’s lives across the globe as it robs them of autonomy over their bodies. This is reflected in the latest Unicef estimates that include global and regional assessments on sexual violence against children; they show that over 370m women and girls endured rape or sexual…

Saving Our Children

In 2018, the horrific Zainab rape and murder case shocked the nation, prompting leaders to promise a safer environment for children. Yet, five years later, the situation remains dire. Recent reports of six boys rescued from their abusers by Punjab police reveal that children in Pakistan continue to be at…

Subpar Schooling

Delhi Government Boys School, Karimabad, tops Karachi’s Matric exams after 28 years, ongoing education issues. After a gap of 28 years, a government school – Delhi Government Boys School, Karimabad – has secured the top position in the recent secondary board examinations in Karachi. The last time a government-run school…

High Abortion Rate

A study reveals high abortion rates in Pakistan, driven by poor contraception access and unmet family planning needs A new study shows a concerning trend of induced abortions being used as a form of birth control in Pakistan, with abortion rates over four times as high as in so-called ‘liberal’…

Pakistan’s Kafkaesque Identity Problem

Khadija Hafiz was looking to buy a black cloth for her lawyer’s gown at Lahore’s Liberty Market when a man approached her. “Are you a lawyer?” he asked, looking at the black coat she had on, before adding, “I need your help, please.” A daily wage labourer, Ahmed* told Khadija…

Underage Brides

PAKISTAN has the sixth highest number globally of girls married before the age of 18. Child marriage is prevalent in the country due to several reasons, including outdated customs and traditions, poverty, lack of awareness and access to education, and lack of security. After the devastating floods in 2022, the…

Child Marriage: Laws, Verdicts, Solutions

Pakistan turned 77 this year, yet the children harbored by the fifth most populated country continue to be failed by the state. One of the many challenges in this regard is child marriage. The Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 Section 2(a) defines a “child” as “a person who, if a…

Ending Child Marriage

There have been numerous attempts by private members of Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate to amend the country’s Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. In recent years, the proposed amendments have been repeatedly tabled and rejected. These include the Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Bill 2014, moved by MNAs Marvi Memon,…

Child Protection

A FEW weeks ago, an 11-year-old girl in Karachi was kidnapped, tortured, raped, and murdered. Her body was discarded in a garbage dump. The Sindh Police responded swiftly, and apprehended the suspect. The culprit may face justice. But is this the end of the story? Unfortunately, such horrifying incidents are…

Rape Scars

When the girl child is viewed as a lesser mortal and children are violated with alarming frequency, it is time to concede that the rot in society runs deep. While incidents of child abuse, rape and murder mount across the country, the nation refuses to rise in anger. Recently, a…