PESHAWAR: The child rights activist on Monday complained the provincial government and media were apathetic about the children abused in Swat.

“Neither the government nor the media has given proper attention to the recent scandal of Swat child abuses. There is a need for the immediate punishment of culprits,” child rights activist and anchorperson Reham Khan said while speaking to the media persons after inaugurating her own website with the domain name of mashoom (child in Pashto).

Child rights activists Arshad Mehmood and Imran Takkar were also present on the occasion.

Reham Khan said being in the government didn’t mean enjoying key positions and instead, the government meant serving the people.

She said the government had failed to ensure the protection of the children, who were very vulnerable in the society.

The rights activist demanded that the government immediately establish the child rights commission in the province to ensure the protection of children.

She urged the chief minister and MPAs to focus their attention of the resolution of the problems facing children in the province.

Reham Khan said the provincial government’s Rs10 million allocations in the current budget for child protection units were just ‘peanuts’.

She demanded the establishment of child protection units in all districts of the province.

The rights activist said the provincial government claimed to have established child protection units in 11 districts but the reality was that only three of them were operational.

“Seven child protection units exist on paper only,” she said.

Arshad Mehmood said the political well was necessary to resolve children’s problems and providing them with security.

He demanded that the government immediately pass the pending laws on child rights.

The rights activist demanded speedy investigation into the Swat child abuse scandal to ensure early punishment of the culprits.

He said the government should engage all stakeholders, including child rights activists and doctors, for the investigation.

Imran Takkar demanded the implementation of child rights laws in letter and spirit.

He said the government should take effective measures for children’s protection besides building the capacity of stakeholders and creating public awareness.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2016