ISLAMABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police Thursday told the Senate Special Committee on Child Protection that there was no forensic centre in the province except at Khyber Medical College.

The Committee met with Senator Rubina Khalid in the chair at the Parliament House. The Committee discussed the issues related to incidents of child abuse.

The Committee also decided to visit all the provinces and to hold sittings with their govt relevant departments for comprehensive legislation for the protection of children.

Briefing the meeting about the rape of a child girl in Naushehra, the DPO Naushehra said the accused had been arrested and the matter was in the court.

Committee convener Rubina Khalid asked if the action taken against the doctor who did not perform the autopsy on the girl.

Police official said it was not the doctor's fault. He said forensic report could be made only in Khyber Medical College.

There was no facility in Naushehra last year, he said.

Responding to a question, the police official told that all over the world, first the evidence was collected and then the accused was arrested.

Here, when the police arrive at the scene, the evidence is destroyed and the accused is arrested first in Pakistan, and the evidence is later collected, which is not found and accused get advantage and released due to lack of evidence, he said.

Rubina Khalid said according to the police, there were loopholes in the law due to which the accused were released.

After it, the Committee decided to visit all the provinces and hold meetings with the provincial government for preparing a draft of legislation.

Rubina Khalid said there was an urgent need for legislation on child sexual abuse and child labour.

She said that the committee would visit all the four provinces to try to understand what could be done to improve the laws.

The Committee also summoned the PTA officials in its next meeting.

Rubina Khalid said that the PTA and the PEMRA officials must oblige telecom companies and media to convey awareness messages on child abuse to the public.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020