As many as 17,862 children have been subjected to abuse during last five years, revealed a report presented in the National Assembly on Wednesday.While unreported cases are uncountable.It is stated that more than 50,000 child abuses cases are occurred annually.only 30 percent cases are reported to Police
According to the report of the Ministry of Human Rights, a total of 17,862 cases of child abuse have been reported in the country during 2013-17.
During 2013 as many as 2017 cases of abuse against girls were reported while 985 cases were reported against boys. Next year, total of 2141 cases were reported against girls and 1367 cases against boys.
The year 2016 saw a surge in crimes against girls as 2410 cases were reported . However, the maximum number of cases were reported against boys in 2015. Total of 10,620 cases against girls and 7,242 cases against boys were reported during the last five years.
The Ministry of Human Rights clarified that it requested all provincial home departments to furnish the requisite information but in absence of any response the ministry was presenting an NGO’s data.
It stated that a total of 13,267 FIRs against child abuse were lodged with the police during the four-year period and out of which 112 cases were decided in which the accused were convicted. Death sentences were awarded in 25 cases whereas 11 cases concluded with life imprisonment.
To a question, Minister for Human Rights Mumtaz Ahmed Tarar said that Pakistan has ratified various international conventions for protection of the rights of the child, including United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) ratified in 1990, SAARC Convention on Preventing, Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution, 2002 and SAARC Convention on Regional Arrangements for the Promotion of Child Welfare in South Asia.
