Federal Secretary of the Ministry of Human Rights has taken a serious notice of the tragic incident of chopping off a child’s hand by his employer in Sheikhupura.
As per media reports, a 13-year-old boy, Irfan, was working in the house of Shafqat Bibi, in Safdarabad Area (District Sheikhupura). The employer had allegedly cut off the right hand of the boy with a fodder cutting machine.
In this regard, Secretary Rabiya Javeri Agha had asked the National Commission for Human Rights to conduct a fact-finding inquiry into the incident and to furnish a detailed report to the ministry on a priority basis.
During a meeting, the secretary said that the Ministry of Human Rights is taking various measures to address the increasing violence against children in the country, which include the National Commission on the Rights of the Child Bill and The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Child Protection Bill, 2016.
She highlighted that a public awareness campaign on human rights, with a special focus on the Rights of children and women, has been initiated under the action plan for human rights, which was approved by the prime minister on February 13, 2016.
She also shared that National Commission for Human Rights Toll-Free Helpline – 1099— to report rights abuses.
She further said that in order to combat violence against children, a Regional Forum “South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children” (SAIEVAC) has been established comprising of 8 SAARC countries.
Rabiya Javeri Agha has reiterated that the Ministry of Human Rights is committed to adopting all possible measures to ensure protection and promotion of rights of weaker segments of the society, especially children, women and minorities.
