The Lahore High Court (LHC) has instructed the Punjab government to create regulations to ensure private schools comply with the Punjab Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2014. The law, enacted 10 years ago, aims to provide free education to children aged 5-16. Justice Raheel Kamran Sheikh expressed concern over the government’s failure to establish rules for the implementation of the act, despite the constitutional obligation to provide free and compulsory education to all children.
Child Rights in Focus
IN a significant stride towards mental health reform, Pakistan decriminalised attempted suicide (later challenged in the Federal Sharia Court) by repealing Section 325 of the Pakistan Penal Code, a change that stands out for its compassion and understanding. The repeal is complemented by the Mental Health Act`s Section 49, which introduces mandatory psychiatric assessments to ensure that individuals experiencing mental distress receive the care they need. This reform became possible due to the steadfast
Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Nadeem Jan, revealed an integrated strategy to combat malnutrition during a productive meeting with US Ambassador Donald Blome, where they discussed crucial health-related matters. The minister emphasized the Ministry of Health’s dedicated efforts to address malnutrition by forming a task force that ensures synchronized actions among federal and provincial entities, as well as donors and stakeholders. Dr. Nadeem Jan also highlighted the broader impact of their integrated approach, utilizing
IT is an unfortunate reality that in Pakistan, far too many children are afflicted by, and, in fact, lose their lives to, vaccine-preventable diseases. Amongst these ailments is measles, and as a report in this paper has pointed out, there has been a sustained surge in the number of measles cases reported in Karachi over the past few weeks. According to medical experts, 106 children died due to measles at just two of the
This report is a comprehensive research study, conducted by the Centre for Human Rights and Musawi Private Limited, in collaboration with the National Commission for Human Rights and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative to evaluate the current state of women’s marriage rights in Punjab. With a focus on the nikkahnama, the study assesses the extent to which rights of the women and female children are protected and respected in the province.
Measles cases have been on the rise in Karachi in recent weeks, highlighting ongoing issues with the public immunization program and parent awareness. Data from major public hospitals, including the National Institute of Child Health and Dr Ruth K.M Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, show measles has persisted as a challenge for doctors over the past year. A senior physician from Civil Hospital Karachi said cases have increased lately, with many patients experiencing complications requiring
The body of an unidentified teenage boy was discovered hanging from a tree in the Seaview area. According to police, the boy had been subjected to a sexual assault before being murdered. The body was shifted to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for a post-mortem examination, which revealed that the boy had been strangled. The police surgeon, Summaiya Syed, confirmed that the autopsy findings suggested sexual violence. A passer-by, Afzal, alerted the police
“Educating Girls: Increasing Retention for Greater Impact – Policy Note” is published by the Planning and Development Division, Government of Pakistan provides an overview of the state of girls’ education in Pakistan and offers recommendations for improvement. It analyzes the issue of low retention rates of girls in the education system in Pakistan, especially during the transition from primary to secondary levels. It presents evidence on the scale of dropout rates for girls in
The strategic plan lays out NCRC’s vision, mission and approach to promote and protect children’s rights in Pakistan over the next four years. It introduces the commission and presents the strategic priorities and 5Es methodology of engagement, education, enforcement, evaluation and evidence generation. The overarching goal is to establish an environment conducive to the realization of child rights. Key expected results cover improved awareness, enforcement of laws aligned with international standards, and strengthened evidence-based
THE much-anticipated Anti-Rape Ordinance 2020 introduced chemical castration as punishment for rapists. In doing so, however, it missed the very critical point that rape is not merely a physical act, and that it is triggered by many serious social and psychological conditions. More stringent measures are required to deter such crimes. From a broader view, there are other aspects of the issue that also need to be looked into with equal urgency. If the
Pakistan is experiencing a concerning rise in online child sexual abuse material (CSAM), ranking among the top three countries globally in terms of reported cases. According to data from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) of the US, Pakistan recorded a total of 5.4 million reports of online child exploitation between 2020 and 2022, following India and the Philippines. The NCMEC received these reports due to legal obligations imposed on US-based
A 10-year-old boy named Abdullah Sajid was brutally murdered inside a mosque washroom in Sector G-6/3, according to a police spokesperson. The victim was a student who went to the Bilal Mosque to memorize the Holy Quran. An FIR has been filed by the victim’s father, Sajid Khan, and the case has been handed over to the Homicide Investigation Unit (HIU). According to Sajid Khan’s statement, he received a phone call informing him that