LAHORE: Railway stations across Pakistan are increasingly becoming refuge points for children fleeing troubled homes, as poverty, domestic tensions, corporal punishment, and the influence of social media push minors onto the streets. According to official data shared by Pakistan Railways Police, 658 children, including 413 boys and 245 girls, were recovered from various railway stations during 2025 after running away from home. Following verification and legal formalities, all the children were handed back to
Child Rights in Focus
Education is one of the most powerful tools for national development. It shapes individuals, builds nations and strengthens societies. A strong education system creates skilled human capital, promotes economic growth and develops a sense of equality and social justice. In Pakistan, however, education has been a subject of endless debate and disappointment. Politicians, analysts and citizens frequently express frustration over the poor state of schools and the lack of opportunities for millions of children.
LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated a Danish School in Mankera, Bhakkar, and launched the School Meal Programme at Government Primary School Kisanwala, terming education and nutrition key pillars for a brighter future of children. During a visit, the chief minister announced the upgradation of three schools in Mankera, following which notifications were issued in this regard. The Government Girls Primary School Kisanwala was upgraded to elementary level, while the elementary schools
New strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) have been issued for girls’ colleges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K‑P). According to the SOPs, it is mandatory to obtain permission from the director of Higher Education before organising any kind of function. Music, dancing, modelling or any similar type of performance was completely prohibited under the new directives, along with the use of mobile phones during college hours and events. Further, all students must wear their uniform while attending any
BHAKKAR: A seven-year-old girl was killed and three Crime Control Department (CCD) police officers sustained serious injuries during a late-night police encounter with a proclaimed offender and his accomplices in the Kacha Shah Alam area of Mango Changar, on the outskirts of Bhakkar, police said on Sunday. Official sources said the CCD Bhakkar team received confirmed intelligence after 2am regarding the presence of a dangerous wanted suspect, identified as Iftikhar, in the area. Acting
ISLAMABAD: As online spaces grow increasingly unsafe for children, Pakistan is facing an unprecedented surge in digital evidence linked to child sexual exploitation and abuse, with nearly one million referrals received each year; therefore, swift identification of the most urgent cases has become a critical national priority. In response, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has launched ‘Katalyst’, an AI-enabled investigative tool designed to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect, prioritise, and investigate
RAWALPINDI: Authorities have exposed a major network involved in producing, buying and selling obscene videos of children, arresting a key operative and recovering more than 600 videos. The suspect, identified as Taimur Mahmood, a resident of Murree, was arrested from Rawalpindi by the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA). According to authorities, he posed as a girl on social media to lure underage boys and then blackmailed them through obscene videos. Data retrieved from
LAHORE: Several digital and child rights groups have cautioned that blanket bans or age-based prohibitions on children’s access to social media are a flawed and regressive response to risks including online abuse, exploitation, harassment and exposure to harmful content. Such measures shift responsibility away from the government and technology companies and place the burden on children and families, the Digital Rights Foundation, Search for Justice, Child Rights Movement (Punjab), and Children Advocacy Network (Pakistan)
KARACHI: Experts have raised concerns that negligence in child rearing is seriously affecting the mental development and growth of children, with many showing signs of psychological issues from an early age. Feeding infants with bottles instead of breastfeeding is contributing to infections, while excessive exposure to mobile phones and cartoons is negatively impacting cognitive development. These observations were made by leading paediatricians during the inaugural session of a two-day National Conference on Child Health,
KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has termed unchecked population growth one of Pakistan’s most serious social and economic challenges, stressing the need for sustained, evidence-based family planning policies to secure the country’s future. He was addressing the launch ceremony of Pakistan’s largest and most comprehensive social and behavioural change campaign (SBCC) on family planning at the Hindu Gymkhana, NAPA Auditorium, on January 30. Titled “Waqfa ”, the campaign will be run
ISLAMABAD: Despite the global rise of alternative nicotine products, a 2026 Gallup & Gilani Pakistan poll reveals that awareness of electronic cigarettes and vaping remains remarkably low in Pakistan, with only 17 percent of the adult population having heard of the technology. This lack of familiarity is shaped by significant demographic divides, most notably a sharp 31 point gap between educational tiers; while 43 percent of those with higher education are aware of vaping,
ABBOTTABAD: The Abbottabad Bench of the Peshawar High Court has disposed of a writ petition challenging the election of the Governing Body of Idara Tadreesul Quran orphanage Abbottabad, while issuing an extensive set of binding directives aimed at strengthening oversight, transparency and child welfare standards in orphanages across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. A division bench comprising Justice Sadiq Ali and Justice Syed Muddasir Ameer heard the petition filed by Ghulam Mustafa Khan Jadoon, who had sought to