Child Abuse in Balochistan
Editorial :
Increasing incidents of child abuse in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan have sent alarm bells among the parents. Subjecting children to sexual abuse, rape, and murder of children has almost become an order of the day. The people were yet to recover from the cold-blooded murder of a four-year-old Saad Shah when Maizai Addah tragedy struck. An eight-year-old minor boy Inamullah raped and murdered in the Maizai Addah area of Killa Abdullah district the other day.
The two incidents had far-reaching physiological impacts on the people. Both incidents appeared to be beyond human imaginations. Although, police arrested a maid in connection with the murder of Saad Shah, and Levies arrested both the culprits for the murder of Inamullah. Broken parents of the two innocent minor boys may heave a sigh of relief after the arrest of the culprits. However, their tragedies are beyond comprehension.
Chief Justice Balochistan High Court (BHC), Mr. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail deserves to be appreciated for taking notice of child abuse in the province. The top judge of the province has directed all commissioners and the deputy inspector generals of police to take effective steps to eliminate the child abuse in the province.
Mr. Mandokhail also directed the BHC registrar to convert the application of Boor Muhammad, the broken father of Inamullah into a constitutional petition. The court also directed the registrar to compile data of all child abuse cases in trial courts and direct them to ensure timely disposal of cases.
Indeed, such directives and steps would help decrease the number of incidents in terms of child abuse. However, police and levies should also streamline the investigation process to apprehend the culprits in such cases. During the current year, over 50 cases of child abuse reported in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan. This is an alarming figure.
Most of the child abuse cases go unnoticed and unreported in rural areas of Balochistan because of the lack of education and tribal taboos. The media too needs to be sensitized to highlight child abuse cases to mount pressure on the administration. The provincial government should evolve a strategy and establish a child protection bureau to bring an end to child abuse in the province.
Child Abuse in Balochistan
