Senate body asks IGPs to set up special cell for rapid response in child abuse cases     

ISLAMABAD: The Senate's Standing Committee on Interior on Monday asked all inspectors general of police (IGPs) to set up a special cell / research wing under their own command at all police headquarters for rapid response to complaints against child abuse.

The committee, which met here at the Parliament House under chairmanship of Senator Rehman Malik, also recommended that the police should introduce a Whatsapp number for reporting crime against children.

The meeting, in a unanimously adopted resolution, condemned incidents of abduction and murder of innocent minor children, expressed sympathies with the victims' families and extended full support to them.

The committee also condemned murders of seven-year-old Zainab Ansari in Kasur and four-year-old Asma in Mardan.

Senators Shahi Syed, Muhammad Javed Abbasi, Muhammad Ali Khan Saif and Col (Retd) Syed Tahir Hussain Mashhadi, and senior officials of the Punjab police attended the meeting.

The meeting asked the government to immediately set up National Commission on Rights of Children Pakistan to address the issue of child abuse, and adopt strong measures to stop the heinous crime.

The committee proposed amendments into section 364 A of PPC for increasing punishment to child abusers.

It also asked the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) to add feature of child protection in their upcoming Apps.