Murad wants to establish child protection units all over Sindh

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to establish Child Protection Units al all the Women Police Stations to deal child abuse cases.

He took this decision while presiding over a meeting of Child Protection Committee (CPU) here at the CM House. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Sohail Anwar Siyal, Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, IG Sindh AD Khowaja, Justice (rtd) Nasir Aslam Zahid, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Secretary Education Iqbal Durani, Advocate Zia Awan, Shahzad Roi and others.

The chief minister said that the children of our hope, our future and beauty of our society and, therefore “we have to protect them from abuse and have to nurture them with self-respect, dignity and care,” he said.

He directed the Child Protection Authority (CPA) to convene its meeting and also involve some experts on child abuse and firm up solid and workable recommendations for establishing child protection units where children, their parents/guardian or friends of the society can approach easily. “I want to receive these recommendations within a week,” he said.

A proposal of establishing Child Protection Units (CPU) at every police station was discussed in the meeting but the chief minister said that the police stations have different perception. “Mostly, people avoid going there, therefore soft, descent and friendly units be established where not only the child [abused] and his parents can approach easily.” “I am of the view that women police stations may be appropriate place where such kind of cases could be dealt,” he said.

The IG police proposed that a separate desk for Child Protection could also be established at Police Facilitation Centers. These centers which are being established at Divisional Headquarters where Social Welfare Department can post their necessary staff for receiving complaints and taking action.

The social welfare department proposed to establish a separate police force comprising senor lady police officers with other properly trained policemen to deal such cases.

The chief minister said that he wants concrete measures for the child protection. “The child protection unit should be seen operating and giving results,” he said and added therefore the Child Protection Authority (CPA) should hold its full session meeting and come up with solid recommendation. “I don’t have problem with sparing funds for the purpose and even I am ready to outsource the centers but want results,” he said.

The proposal to establish CPU at women police stations has been approved but its implementation would be made when Child Protection Authority would come up with other proposals within a week.