RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee of the Cabinet for Disposal of Legislative Cases (CCLC) has approved the Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection Bill, 2016 in a meeting held in the chair of Minister for Law and Justice Zahid Hamid.

Secretary for Ministry of Human Rights Rabiya Javeri Agha presented the Bill to the Committee and explained that this is a much needed legislation for the protection and care of children.

The bill was the brainchild of the then Minister for Human Right Barrister Zafarullah Khan who attended the meeting now as member of CCLC and stated that this law would serve as model law for the protection of children from violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect.

While talking to Business Recorder, Human Rights Advocate Sharafat A Chaudhry expressed that Pakistan ratified UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990 and thus it is obliged to implement its provisions in letter and spirit. The UN Committee in its concluding observations urged the government of Pakistan to bring its legislations in conformity with the international standards.

Sharafat A Chaudhry, who assisted the Ministry of Human Rights for drafting this Bill stated that this law is in line with the constitutional requirements, adding that Article 35 of the Constitution provides that the State shall protect the child and Article 25(3) also empowers the State to make special provisions for protection of children.

The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Child Protection Bill, 2016 available with Business Recorder provides for protection and care of all children including unattended orphans. The salient features of the aforesaid Bill include formation of Child Protection Board, establishment of Child Protection Institutions and granting licence to alternate child care centres. It proposes to establish mechanism for rescue, care, and protection of children at risk. The Bill also proposes to establish a welfare fund for the children and for registration of the unattended children.

The subject of minor has been devolved to the provinces through 18th Constitutional Amendment. The provinces have their respective child protections laws whereas Islamabad Capital territory being a federal area requires separate legislation for the protection of children. It is pertinent to mention that there is no legal mechanism at ICT level to protect the rights of the children wherein, the provincial governments have enacted various legislations to safeguard the rights of the child in their respective provinces.

Previously the summary of the ICT Child Protection Bill, 2016 was submitted to the Prime Minister with the request to exempt the ICT Child Protection Bill, 2016 from condition of placement before the Cabinet and approve its introduction in the National Assembly. However, the Prime Minister Office forwarded it and directed the ministry to place the Bill before Law Reform Committee for its technical review before its introduction in the National Assembly.