Children facing survival threats
KARACHI, September 02 2005: It is a sad fact that children are facing a lot of serious survival threats ranging from physical battering to kidnapping, from sexual abuse to murder in the country.
This was stated by the Chairman of Madadgar, Zia Ahmed Awan advocate, while addressing a press conference at his office here on September 1 regarding kidnapping and murder of two children in Korangi a few days back. Parents of both the children were also present on the occasion.
Zia Awan was of the view that cases of child kidnapping and murder are on the rise in the city. The provincial government, police and other concerned authorities are playing the role of a silent spectator, he added.
While quoting the data compiled by Madadgar Database, Research and Documentation Center, he informed that 17,122 children were abused during the last five years in the country. Out of them 2755 children were murdered across Pakistan, among them 358 in Karachi.
He said 4346 children went missing in the country out of which 1127 were in Karachi alone; 4088 kidnapping cases reported in the country while figure for karachi is 889, out of 1618 suicide incident 323 were reported in Karachi, 1431 minor girls were raped of them 171 were occurred in Karachi alone, 1300 boys were sodomized amongst them 100 in Karachi, 1218 children were brutally tortured while 232 amongst them in Karachi and 266 children were trafficked, 79 in Karachi alone in the same period.
Talking about recent incidents of kidnapping and murder of two innocent children in Korangi, he urged the government to play its role to protect innocent children and to take positive steps for their protection.
He stated the Sindh government, chief minister, IG and police department must take concrete steps to safeguard children, as it is need of the hour that they have to feel their responsibilities.
He urged upon the Sindh governor, CM, home minister, high police officers and other concerned authorities to take serious notice of such cases. He informed that Madadgar has already sent letters to concerned authorities in this regard.
He demanded of the government to order an inquiry against concerned police officials. He also said the provincial government should come forward to fulfil its responsibilities and give compensation to aggrieved families.
Sulemanullah Khan, father of one of the innocent child, Fahdullah Khan, informed newsmen that his 11-year-old son went missing while playing near his home at 11:00am on August 15, 2005.
Area people searched the child but all to no avail. They contacted Zaman Town police station after half an hour to lodge report regarding his missing son Fahd and requested concerned police officials for appropriate help to search the child.
Next morning a scavenger informed the area people that a body of a child is lying in the gutter on a near by street.
“We informed the area police about the incident but they contacted us after a long delay just to fulfil paper work. though they informed them that Fahd was tortured before being murdered as there were torture marks on his body,” he said, adding they insisted on inquiry but police officials advised them to inform the police if they have suspicion on any body.
Suleman’s neighbour Muhammad Iqbal informed the press that few months back his eight-year-son Saqib was kidnapped and murdered in the same manner. He said the body of his son was recovered from bushes near the boundary wall of a school. He said area police officials did not bother to register an FIR and the case was closed without any proper investigation.
Parents of both the children said children of the area are under pressure. They feel insecure and they are refraining from going out of their houses.
“We wish to get justice and want that the murderer be brought before law,” they said.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:9/2/2005
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