Daily Balochistan Times

Islamabad: The National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC)and Protection and Help of Children Against Abuse and Neglect (PAHCHAAN), convened a consultation on ‘Gaps and Opportunities in Pakistan’s Legislative Landscape for Children’ and a book launch of the 5th edition of ‘The Rights of Children in Pakistani Law’ here on Friday, said a press release.

The consultation brought together legal experts, practitioners, researchers and child-rights advocates to examine legislative and policy challenges affecting children in Pakistan.

Discussions focused on gaps in existing laws, barriers to the effective implementation of legal protections for children, and opportunities to strengthen the current legal landscape related to children.

Opening the consultation and launch, Chairperson of NCRC Ayesha Raza Farooq emphasised the importance of accessible legal resources that can support institutions and professionals responsible for protecting children. ‘This compilation will serve as a valuable resource for courts, enforcement agencies, civil society, and researchers. ‘

She emphasized that the true measure of child-related laws lies not only in their enactment, but in their effective implementation and their ability to respond to the realities faced by children.

NCRC’s statutory mandate includes reviewing laws, policies and practices, conducting inquiries into child-rights violations, strengthening institutional capacities and advising the government on legislative and policy matters concerning children.

In his remarks, ‘Where the Law Meets the Child, ‘ President and CEO of PAHCHAAN Dr. Naeem Zafar reflected on the difficulties faced by organisations, families and professionals when legal protections are difficult locate, understand or apply. ‘During our work, we repeatedly reached a point where counselling, compassion and referral were not enough.

We needed to know: What right does this child have? Who has the legal responsibility to act? What remedy is available?’

He stressed that laws can protect children only when caregivers, professionals and institutions are able to understand and use them. Legal recognition must therefore be supported by awareness, accessible assistance, effective referrals and timely institutional responses.

Dr. Mehek Naeem, Miqdad Mehdi and Ahmar Majeed presented key reflections from the fifth edition of The Rights of Children in Pakistani Law, using the publication to guide a structured discussion on Pakistan’s legalland scape for children.

The publication consolidates relevant federal and provincial legislation and compares it within the context of Pakistan’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The consultation underscored that the existence of child-related legislation does not automatically ensure protection. Greater attention is needed to the implementation of laws across federal and provincial jurisdictions, particularly where responsibilities, enforcement mechanisms, and legal provisions remain inconsistent or unclear.

The plenary discussion highlighted the need for stronger coordination among courts, law-enforcement agencies, child-protection institutions and civil society.

It also emphasized the importance of accessible legal resources, harmonization of age amongst different laws related to children, drafting and approval of rules in a timely manner, importance of resource allocation, capacity building for front line professionals, effective referral networks and continued monitoring of the gap between legislation and children’s lived realities.

The event concluded with the formal launch of the fifth edition of The Rights of Children in Pakistani Law. The publication will serve as a supporting reference for future legal review, professional training, institutional action, research and advocacy arising from the consultation.

About NCRC, The National Commission on the Rights of Child is an independent statutory body established under the NCRC Act, 2017, with a mandate to promote, protect and fulfil children’s rights in Pakistan.

About PAHCHAAN Protection and Help of Children Against Abuse and Neglect, is a child-rights organisation working to strengthen child protection, safeguarding, access to justice and child and family wellbeing in Pakistan.

Islamabad: Pakistan’s Under-21 hockey team suffered a 6-2 defeat against South Korea’s senior side in the fourth and final Test of the Pakistan-Korea series at the Naseer Bunda Hockey Stadium on Friday.

Despite the loss, Pakistan had already secured an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series, with the fourth match serving as an opportunity for the Under-21 side to gain valuable international exposure against the experienced Korean outfit.

South Korea made a flying start, scoring twice in the opening quarter through Rim Jinkang in the third minute and Kim Hyeonhong in the fifth minute, both from penalty corners, to take a 2-0 lead.

Pakistan reduced the deficit in the second quarter when Muhammad Ahmed scored a field goal in the 19th minute, leaving Korea ahead 2-1 at half-time.

The visitors dominated the third quarter, converting three penalty corners. Lim Dohyun struck in the 37th and 40th minutes, while Kim Hyeonhong added his second goal of the match in the 42nd minute to extend Korea’s lead to 5-1.

Pakistan responded immediately in the fourth quarter as Ghulam Mustafa scored a field goal in the 43rd minute. However, Kim Yong Bok sealed Korea’s 6-2 victory with another field goal in the 54th minute.

Although the Under-21 side lost the final fixture, Pakistan’s senior team had already wrapped up the series with three consecutive victories. The national team’s overall performance throughout the series drew widespread appreciation from hockey fans, reflecting encouraging progress ahead of upcoming international competitions.

Islamabad: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, accompanied by Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, visited the Islamabad Safe City Headquarters on Friday and chaired a special meeting to review progress on the Safe City Expansion Project, directing officials to complete the ambitious initiative by September 30.

During the briefing, officials informed the minister that overall work on the expansion project has reached 85 percent completion. Installation of the new surveillance network is also 85 percent complete, while 415 kilometres of optical fibre have been laid to support the upgraded system. Work on the data centre, cyber architecture, and cybersecurity infrastructure has also reached approximately 80 percent completion.

Expressing satisfaction over the pace of work, Naqvi stressed that the remaining tasks must be completed within the stipulated timeframe.

He said the government’s vision is to transform the Islamabad Safe City into a modern, smart, and world-class institution comparable to those in developed countries.

The interior minister said the technologically advanced Safe City system would significantly strengthen public safety through enhanced surveillance, effective monitoring, and rapid emergency response capabilities.

He noted that the project would play a vital role in improving law enforcement efficiency and ensuring better security for residents of the federal capital.

Naqvi also assigned officials the task of completing the state-of-the-art Fusion Centre within the next three months, describing it as a critical component of the upgraded Safe City network.

He further directed the relevant authorities to finalise the Safe City Bill at the earliest and present it before the National Assembly without delay to provide the legal framework necessary for the project’s long-term operation and expansion.

The meeting was attended by the Federal Secretary for Interior, the Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), senior Safe City officials, and other relevant officers, who briefed the minister on the progress and future roadmap of the expansion project.