Parliamentary panel raises alarm over children’s safety failures

WEB DESK: A parliamentary committee has expressed serious concern over the continued failure of government departments to safeguard children from a wide range of social evils affecting Pakistani society.

According to Dawn, during a meeting held earlier at Parliament House, the Standing Committee on Human Rights, chaired by MNA Ms Syeda Nousheen Iftikhar, criticised the absence of meaningful action despite existing policies. Members lamented that implementation at the grassroots level remained virtually invisible, allowing problems to persist unchecked.

The committee highlighted numerous threats confronting the nation’s young, including child abuse, drug abuse, sexual harassment, child begging, and human trafficking. Particular concern was voiced regarding the vulnerability of orphans, with poor coordination between ministries and departments cited as a major barrier to their protection.

“Policies exist only on paper, as their implementation appears invisible at the grassroots level,” the parliamentarians observed. They further noted that relevant ministries and departments had failed over a prolonged period to take effective measures against these pernicious issues.

Calls for concrete action and increased support

The Secretary of the Human Rights Ministry briefed the committee on the ministry’s performance and the challenges it faces, appealing for backing particularly in securing increased budget allocations to achieve meaningful results.

In response, the committee resolved to summon key officials to its next session, including the Chairman of Nadra, the Inspector General of Police for Islamabad, and the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency. The objective is to devise concrete, actionable measures to curb these crimes and prevent their recurrence.

The panel also approved the budget proposals submitted by the Human Rights Ministry and its attached departments for the fiscal year 2026-27, directing that all sanctioned projects be completed within the stipulated timelines.

Additionally, consideration of “The Pakistan Climate Refugees Rights and Protection Bill, 2024”introduced by MNA Mohammad Moin Aamir Pirzada was deferred. The committee intends to invite the Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority for detailed discussions at the forthcoming session.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Zeb Jaffar, Zahra Wadood Fatemi, Ms Tamkeen Akhtar Niazi, Sehar Kamran, Naveed Aamir, and Khawaja Izhar Ul Hassan, alongside the Secretary for Human Rights.

This development underscores growing parliamentary frustration with the gap between policy declarations and tangible protection for Pakistan’s children, who continue to face exploitation and harm amid systemic shortcomings.