The seminar titled "protecting the rights of children" was organized by the Punjab police in collaboration with the non-government organization (NGO) Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) and other concerned stakeholders to sensitize them about growing challenges of child sexual abuse in the province and efforts that the security forces should adopt in this regard.
A good number of children of different schools, families of police officers along with their kids, civil society activists, prominent journalists, columnists and other stakeholders attended the seminar. The organizers also depicted short clips for the safety and awareness of participating children.
Superintendent of Police (Security) Lahore Ammara Athar in her opening remarks said the purpose of the seminar is to highlight responsibilities of state-run departments, media, civil society activists and other relevant stakeholders in creating awareness among the people and taking practical steps against child abuse cases.
Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Lahore Amin Wains said the role of parents, teachers and scholars is crucial in protecting children from such incidents. He said if the children are not attended properly, they indulge in criminal activities. "We need to arrange such seminars in all schools of the province so that maximum awareness among children could be created," the CCPO said, assuring that the police department will take every possible step to curb the child abuse incidents.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Lahore Sumair Ahmed Syed said the parents should pay special attention to grooming and education of their children in a friendly atmosphere.
The DC said the child sexual abuse has become a national issue for which stakeholders should take every possible measure. "I think we should talk to our children over this subject as it has now become a matter of concern for the society," the DC cautioned.
While talking about the backdrop of seminar, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations) Lahore Dr Haider Ashraf said the top brass of police department and the judiciary after Zainab's case sat together and decided to take practical steps to curb child abuse.
"Although it is our collective responsibly to protect children, but it is the prime responsibility of parents as well," the DIG said, adding that the police department needs help of parents, teachers, civil society activists and all concerned segment of society to protect future of children.
Despite having bad image of the police in society, the DIG said: "Today we have shown you the soft image of police personnel by giving you the guard of honor which is supposed to be given to the prime minister or president."
Psychologist Sameera Nazir working for Sahil, a NGO threw light on the factors which are contributing to the child sexual abuse. She said isolation, sadness, guilt, shame and confusion are the prominent effects of child sexual abuse. The psychologist said the parents must listen to their kids by developing trust-worthy relations with them.
The Director General of the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CP&WB) and Chairperson of Child Protection and Welfare Bureau Saba Sadiq also spoke on the occasion and said the state-run departments have yet to do a lot for the protection of children. Saba Sadiq while recognizing efforts of the police department said she would not forgot the time when DIG Haider Ashraf sought her assistance in recovering a child, victimized of domestic violence, from the house of a police official.
Senior journalist Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami was of the opinion that the people should think carefully before having babies. Shami said easy access to mobile phones and internet by children must also be checked by parents. Media, courts, police, civil society and the people belonging to all walks of life should play their role in countering this issue, he suggested.
Another senior journalist, Sohail Warraich, said the government should formulate a policy to make this a part of syllabus. The police department should constitute a team comprising of women to take up complaints of such victims, he added.
While trying to convey lesson to the participants, particularly children, a female lawyer said she still feels the pain whenever she listens about any news of child abuse. "When I was little, our cook tried to sexually abuse me," the lawyer recalled. "Later I told my mother who not only fired the alleged abuser but also wisely handled the situation and heeled my agony," the lawyer said while narrating her own story.