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PESHAWAR The NWFP government has warned the non-governmental organisations and individuals against adoption of displaced children as presently there is no law related to child adoption in the country.
The Emergency Response Unit said on Saturday that no one could adopt children from the conflict-hit Malakand region, who had been displaced in the current army operation against militants.
The ERU stated that provincial government was responsible to look after all the orphans according to law. The unit directed all the concerned to approach the social welfare department in case they had adopted the displaced orphans.
It asked people to inform the department if any case of adoption had occurred. 'Strict action will be taken against individuals or NGOs if they are found violating the instructions in this regard,' it added.
It is learnt that social welfare department took note of the issue after a known figure was shown on private television claiming that he had adopted a child from Malakand.
'How can an individual come here and pick a child without informing the government and claim that he or she has adopted the child,' the provincial secretary social welfare, Afsar Khan, told Dawn.
He added that in the absence of any law on adoption in the country it was the responsibility of the government to take care of such issues. Mr Khan informed that they had already opened a centre at Hayatabad for widows and orphans and had been looking after them.
Meanwhile, the ERU on Saturday released Rs900,000 to Khpal Kor Foundation, a well-know trust of Swat district where orphans used to live, for paying salaries to the orphanage staff.
According to a press release, Khpal Kor Foundation had shifted its staff and orphans to Peshawar after the army launched operation against militants in Malakand division.
The government has already converted the Government Girls High School Abdara Road, University Town, into IDPs camp where the staff and orphans are given accommodation.
Provincial Relief Commissioner and ERU In-charge Mohammad Azam Khan released the fund, which was received by Khpal Kor Foundation Director Mohammad Ali.
This orphanage centre was established in 1996 for the welfare and education of orphans and helpless children of Swat district. Presently, the foundation has been looking after 87 orphans.
