ISLAMABAD: To keep a track of cases of child abuse and abducted children in the country, Prime Minister Imran Khan instructed relevant authorities on Tuesday to build a mobile app and call it “Mera Bachcha Alert”.

According to the Prime Minister Office (PMO) press release, the app will be created in two weeks after which information about the affected child would be circulated to all provincial Inspectors General of Police and other senior police officials. Mera Bachcha Alert will be linked with the Pakistan Citizen Portal to monitor the progress of the cases.

The prime minister told the federal cabinet on Tuesday that progress had been made in investigations of child abuse and child abduction cases which will help in the arrests of the accused persons.

He said parents were hesitant to bring cases of child abuse to the fore due to social and other reasons. “The present government will take such steps which will ensure the protection of children and award of exemplary punishments to those involved in such heinous crimes,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 2nd , 2019