PESHAWAR, May 13: The Juvenile Justice Network (JJN), NWFP, has launched a campaign against child imprisonment to press the NWFP governor for the implementation of the existing laws and introduction of new laws relating to juveniles.

According to a press release issued here on Monday, members of the JJN, an umbrella organization of different civil society groups established with the aim to work jointly for improving juvenile justice system, have started sending cards to the governor, requesting him to fulfil some of their demands pertaining to juvenile prisoners.

The network claimed that the NWFP was the only province that had no laws relating to child prisoners. “There is an urgent need to introduce laws in the province,” it said.

It said that the federal government on July 1, 2000, introduced the Juvenile Justice System Ordinance 2000. The draft rules on the ordinance as well as on Juvenile Justice System Rules, 2001, have been framed by the federal ministry of social welfare and women development and sent to the provinces.

The network claimed that the draft rules had been vetted by the law department and sent to the home department for notification, however, they had yet to be notified.

Through the cards sent to the governor, the members and other individuals have asked the governor to notify the Juvenile Justice System Rules 2001; notify juvenile courts in the whole province and establish at least one exclusive court for the children in Peshawar; release maximum number of prisoners under the age of 18 years either on bail or on personal guarantees; enact the Borstal Schools Act; establish at least one Borstal school in the province; and, enact child rights law on the pattern of the Sindh Children Act, 1955, or Punjab Children Ordinance, 1983, in the province.