LAHORE: Expressing shock over children’s rap and pornography scams surfacing in Kasur and Chunian, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday directed the chief minister and senior officials to engage religious scholars, notables, schoolteachers and parents and offer them proper training and awareness to save children from falling a prey to criminals.

The prime minister was presiding over a series of meetings, including the one on law and order at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

Following a briefing by Punjab Inspector General of Police retired Capt Arif Nawaz, the prime minister stressed that criminals needed to be identified by the community well in time. He said a full-fledged campaign should be launched, besides making coordinated efforts, by the government and the community to control heinous crimes against children.

Mr Khan also ordered a strict action against the mafias involved in different crimes. “I will be standing behind the officials who feel pressurised from influential criminals,” he said.

The IG briefed Mr Khan on measures being taken to control crime, action against mafias involved in heinous and major crimes, change in Thana culture, police officials’ professional training, amendments in existing laws, encouragement to reputed police officers and suggestions to make public aware of criminals.

At a meeting on health sector, the prime minister was briefed on the development projects, progress in Insaf Health Cards, implementation of Medical Teaching Institutions (MTI) Act, improvement in big hospitals emergencies and setting up of a new cardiology facility in the vicinity of the Jinnah Hospital.

At a briefing by the local government and community development department secretary, the prime minister was told about the progress made on the implementation of new local government system and Municipal Services Programme.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar co-chaired the meetings.

Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2019