LAHORE: Two days after the police announced launching a special drive against child abuse in collaboration with the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB), a walk was held at Lalik Chowk, DHA, on Friday to create awareness about the issue.

The participants included CPWB chairperson Sarah Ahmad, CPWB DG, police representatives and members of the civil society. They were holding placards and banners containing slogans against child abuse and exploitation.

Sarah Ahmed said it was the first time that the Lahore police were going to run a campaign against the child abuse. She termed it a positive sign that they were collaborating with the CPWB.

“During the last six months, 30 cases of child abuse have been reported across Punjab,” she said and added that the CPWB had conducted awareness drives in three towns of south Punjab and the awareness drive in Lahore had begun from Friday.

During the campaign, the CPWB teams would provide trainings on child abuse in 84 police stations and conduct workshops at the Police Lines. Mosques and other community places would be engaged for delivery of the message.

With regard to the drive against child abuse, the CPWB and police are jointly celebrating an ‘anti-child abuse week’ and Sarah Ahmed and CCPO BA Nasir have reached an agreement on it. The CCPO had suggested that the CPWB must conduct a day’s workshop at Police Lines, Qila Gujjar Singh, for education of the policemen. He said that the women police officers, in collaboration with the CPWB, would help provide all the necessary information regarding prevention of child abuse.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2019